A study conducted at Stockholm University indicates that live social interaction can be important for brain development.
Fish kept in live company had brains six percent larger after 20 days than guppies that were only allowed to watch video recordings of fish on a screen.
"Although humans and fish are of course very different, the study shows that social interaction can influence brain development in vertebrates," says Professor Niclas Kolm, senior author of the study, in a press release.
Lead author Olivia Carmstedt emphasizes that the results should not be interpreted as saying that all screen use is harmful: "The study instead points to the importance of social interactions during development."
The study was published in Biology Letters.
