Growing Up Online: Social media, smartphones, and the adolescent brain, body, behavior loop

Adolescence is a critical developmental period marked by profound changes in brain architecture, social cognition, and identity formation. Simultaneously, today's adolescents are the first generation to grow up immersed in social media and smartphone technology from early childhood. While digital platforms offer unprecedented opportunities for connection, learning, and self-expression, their rapid integration into adolescent life has raised significant concerns about potential neurobehavioral consequences. Emerging evidence suggests that social media use may impact dopaminergic reward pathways, sleep-wake cycles, attention regulation, and social-emotional development. Additionally, smartphones and digital content influence physical activity, body image, peer relationships, and mental health outcomes. Understanding the complex, bidirectional relationships between digital technology use and adolescent neurodevelopment is essential for identifying risks, promoting resilience, and supporting healthy development in the digital age.This Research Topic aims to comprehensively examine how social media and smartphone use shape adolescent brain development, physiology, and behavior, and conversely, how developmental changes in adolescents influence their engagement with digital technologies. We seek to address critical questions: What are the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social media's effects on adolescent brains? How do digital platforms impact sleep, circadian rhythms, physical health, and mental wellbeing? What individual and contextual factors determine vulnerability or resilience to negative digital effects? How do social dynamics and reward sensitivity during adolescence interact with platform design to influence behavior? What evidence-based interventions and digital literacy approaches can promote healthy technology use? By synthesizing neuroscience, psychology, physiology, and behavioral research, this collection will illuminate the adolescent-technology interface and provide actionable insights for researchers, clinicians, educators, and policymakers invested in adolescent health and development.We welcome original research, reviews, perspectives, and methodological innovations addressing the intersection of digital technology use and adolescent development. Contributions should align with one or more of the following themes:• Brain Development and Neuroplasticity: Effects of social media and smartphone use on prefrontal cortex maturation, reward circuitry, attention systems, and neural connectivity during adolescence• Mental Health and Psychosocial Outcomes: Social media's impact on depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-esteem, and identity development in adolescents• Sleep and Circadian Disruption: Mechanisms by which screen exposure and notifications affect sleep quality, duration, and adolescent health outcomes• Physical Health and Behavior: Associations between social media use, sedentary behavior, physical activity levels, and metabolic health in youth• Social Relationships and Peer Dynamics: Online social interactions, cyberbullying, FOMO (fear of missing out), and effects on offline friendships and social competence• Body Image and Appearance Concerns: Social media's role in body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and self-harm behaviors in adolescents• Digital Addiction and Problematic Use: Neurobehavioral mechanisms of compulsive use, reward sensitivity, impulse control, and diagnostic criteria for internet/social media addiction• Individual Differences and Risk Factors: Developmental vulnerability, personality traits, mental health conditions, and psychosocial factors influencing susceptibility to negative digital effects• Protective Factors and Resilience: Family dynamics, digital literacy, self-regulation skills, and interventions promoting healthy technology use• Bidirectional Effects: How adolescent developmental characteristics shape engagement with platforms; platform design and algorithmic effects on adolescent behavior Topic editors: Franziska Degé, Selen Gunduz, Manoel Jorge Nobre, Rajnish Kumar Gupta, Jesus David Lorente Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82209/growing-up-online-social-media-smartphones-and-the-adolescent-brain-body-behavior-loop