The brain is constantly shaped by what we do, what we focus on, and how we take in information. It's part of its plastic nature, a fantastic ability, but also a vulnerable one. When the information flow constantly increases and much is designed to trigger quick reactions, the question arises: what happens in the long run to our ability to think coherently and long-term?
The concept of cognitive integrity is not yet established in public discourse, but there are good reasons to start talking about it. Our mental ability to maintain focus, process complex connections, and preserve thinking space is affected by the context we inhabit. And right now, that context is changing rapidly.
A brain in constant reshaping
Research in neuroscience shows how the brain's structure adapts according to our use. Two processes are particularly relevant in contexts where rapid and superficial stimulation dominates:
- Dendritic atrophy: the branching of nerve cells decreases, which affects our ability to process and connect information.
- Synaptic pruning: synapses that are not used regularly weaken, while those that are frequently activated strengthen.
This occurs naturally during childhood and adolescence, but in adults, monotonous stimulation risks reducing the brain's flexibility and deep processing over time.
Digital stimulation and the brain's reshaping
Research shows that digital environments, especially social media, can affect the brain's structure, not least through how they activate and reinforce certain neural connections at the expense of others. When the brain is exposed to frequent rewards, notifications, and rapid stimuli, the pathways that respond to immediate response are strengthened, while slower and more reflective processes are used less.
This has been linked to changes in both the brain's reward system and its cognitive networks. Studies from, among others, JAMA Pediatrics show that repeated interaction with social platforms can shape the brain's sensitivity to social rewards, especially in young people, but adults' neural response patterns are also affected by how we interact digitally.
In parallel, Harvard Medical School describes how prolonged exposure to screen activities can constitute "impoverished" stimulation compared to real experiences, something that affects the brain's synaptic pruning. The structural adaptation thus occurs based on what the brain has access to, and what it learns to expect.
The research clarifies how the brain's form changes gradually through our everyday choices. The change doesn't happen suddenly, but builds up over time, often imperceptibly, but with consequences for our thinking capacity.
Mental capacities require space
To maintain capacity for reflection, analysis, and deep learning, variation, recovery, and cognitive nourishment are needed. At the same time, many are exposed to constant micro-interruptions and flows that primarily reward quick reactions. This affects not only our attention, but also the ability to keep multiple perspectives alive simultaneously.
Reduced access to quiet thinking is not always immediately noticeable. The change occurs gradually, in how we interpret information, how we approach complex questions, and how we make decisions when everything competes for our cognitive bandwidth.
A conversation we need to start having
Talking about cognitive integrity is a way to safeguard the brain as a working tool, thought carrier, and decision-making foundation. It's about making space for slow thoughts when attention is constantly fragmented, and about making conscious which abilities we train—and which risk weakening.
When the information flow increases, decision-making tempo is pushed up, and technology changes our behaviors, the need for mental sustainability becomes clear. Cognitive integrity deserves a place in the conversation now emerging about how we live, work, and think.
A contemporary example
The game "Brain Rot Clicker" is an example of how the normalization of cognitive dismantling is portrayed with irony, but should simultaneously make us pause. When we start joking about letting the brain rot, it's perhaps also time to ask ourselves what we're actually training it for.
This text is part of the series Metacognitive Reflections, written by Katri Lindgren.
Research and theory formation
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Kringelbach, M. L., & Berridge, K. C. (2017). The functional neuroanatomy of pleasure and happiness. Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology.
About the dopamine system's role in attention, addiction, and interpretation. -
Giedd, J. N. (2015). The amazing teen brain. Scientific American, 312(6), 32–37.
Describes how the brain's structure changes through environment and cognitive training or the absence of it. -
Klingberg, T. (2011). Den översvämmade hjärnan: En bok om arbetsminne, IQ och den stigande informationsmängden. Natur & Kultur.
Popular science explanation of cognitive load in a digital age. -
Williams, J. (2018). Stand Out of Our Light: Freedom and Resistance in the Attention Economy. Cambridge University Press.
Ethical and systemic analysis of how digital structures affect our attention, agency, and thinking space.
AI and perception
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Frischmann, B. M., & Selinger, E. (2018). Re-engineering Humanity. Cambridge University Press.
How AI systems and algorithms shape our choices without us noticing. -
Greece Fact Check (2025). From Truth to Tribe: The Psychology Behind Conspiracy Beliefs.
Addresses how interpretive positions shift in polarized environments—relevant for structural cognitive influence.
