Got brain rot?

activate: (in biology) To turn on, as with a gene or chemical reaction.

addiction: The National Institute of Drug Abuse defines this as a complex chronic disorder that is characterized by a difficult-to-control compulsion to use some drug, despite knowing that it will likely have harmful impacts. A first exposure to these drugs is usually voluntary. But repeated use of certain ones, NIDA explains, can create “changes to brain circuits involved in rewards, stress, and self-control.” Those changes can make it very hard to resist the urge to continue using drugs. The term has also been expanded to some behaviors that become dangerous and/or excessive, such as gambling, shopping, video gaming or scrolling through social media.

addictive: An adjective to describe something that become habit-forming in an uncontrolled or unhealthy way. This can include a drug or some habit (such as video game playing or uncontrollable “doom-scrolling” on smartphones). Such addictions reflect an illness triggered by brain changes that occur after using some drugs or engaging in some extremely pleasurable activities. People with an addiction will feel a compelling need to use a drug (which can be alcohol, the nicotine in tobacco, a prescription drug or an illegal chemical such as cocaine or heroin), even when the user knows that doing so risks severe health or legal consequences.

adolescence: A transitional stage of physical and psychological development that begins at the onset of puberty, typically between the ages of 11 and 13, and ends with adulthood. People undergoing this transition are known as adolescents.

algorithm: A group of rules or procedures for solving a problem in a series of steps. Algorithms are used in mathematics and in computer programs for figuring out solutions.

anxious: (n. anxiety) A feeling of dread over some potential or upcoming situation, usually one over which someone feels they have little control.

app: Short for application, or a computer program designed for a specific task.

attention: The phenomenon of focusing mental resources on a specific object or event.

average: (in science) A term for the arithmetic mean, which is the sum of a group of numbers that is then divided by the size of the group.

brain scan: A technique to view structures inside the brain, typically with X-rays or a magnetic resonance imaging (or MRI) machine. With MRI technology — especially the type known as functional MRI (or fMRI) — the activity of different brain regions can be viewed during an event, such as viewing pictures, computing sums or listening to music.

brainwave: An electrical signal produced through the coordinated activity of billions of neurons in the brain of an animal. When charted, the signal typically looks wavy or spiky.

chatbot: A computer program created to seemingly converse with human users. Modern ones (such as Siri, Alexa, Ocelot and Sprinklr) can retrieve information over the internet about news events or classroom topics. Many even work as digital assistants to answer questions about purchases, products or scheduling on behalf of stores, pharmacies or banks.

cognitive: A term that relates to mental activities, such as thinking, learning, remembering and solving puzzles.

cortex: The outermost part of an organ, such as the kidney or brain. Or the outer part of some microbes or plant, such as a tree’s bark or a mango’s rind. 

depression: (in medicine) A mental illness characterized by persistent sadness and apathy. Although these feelings can be triggered by events, such as the death of a loved one or the move to a new city, that isn’t typically considered an “illness” — unless the symptoms are prolonged and harm an individual’s ability to perform normal daily tasks (such as working, sleeping or interacting with others). People suffering from depression often feel they lack the energy needed to get anything done. They may have difficulty concentrating on things or showing an interest in normal events. Many times, these feelings seem to be triggered by nothing; they can appear out of nowhere.

develop: (n. development) To emerge or to make come into being, either naturally or through human intervention, such as by manufacturing. (in biology) To grow as an organism from conception through adulthood, often undergoing changes in chemistry, size, mental maturity or sometimes even shape.

digital: (in computer science and engineering)  An adjective indicating that something has been developed numerically on a computer or on some other electronic device, based on a binary system (where all numbers are displayed using a series of only zeros and ones).

distraction: Any event or situation that draws someone’s attention away from whatever had been his or her main focus. Distractions can be external events, such as sounds or sights; or they can be internal events, such as thoughts or emotions.

eating disorder: An illness of the mind involving dangerously unhealthy patterns of eating and weight loss or gain.

epidemic: A widespread outbreak of an infectious disease that sickens many people (or other organisms) in a community at the same time. The term also may be applied to non-infectious diseases or conditions that have spread in a similar way.

host: (v.) The act of providing a home or environment for something. A website, for instance, could host photos, news or other types of information.

impair: (n. impairment) To damage or weaken in some way.

intelligence: The ability to collect and apply knowledge and skills.

link: A connection between two people or things.

meme: Any idea, phrase, image or aspect of culture that spreads from person to person — often virally — and usually via conversation or social media.

mental health: A term for someone’s emotional, psychological and social well-being. It refers to how people behave on their own and how they interact with others. It includes how people make choices, handle stress and manage fear or anxiety. Poor mental health can be triggered by disease or might reflect a short-term response to life’s challenges. It can occur in people of any age, from babies to the elderly.

neuroscientist: Someone who studies the structure or function of the brain and other parts of the nervous system.

online: (n.) On the internet. (adj.) A term for what can be found or accessed on the internet.

pediatrics: A field of medicine that has to do with children and especially child health. A doctor who works in this field is known as a pediatrician.

peer: (noun) Someone who is an equal, based on age, education, status, training or some other features. (verb) To look into something, searching for details.

peer review: (in research) A process in which experts in a field carefully read and critique the work of their peers before it is published in a research journal. Peer review helps to prevent sloppy science and bad mistakes from being published.

plasticity: Adaptable or reshapable. (in biology) The ability of an organ, such as the brain or skeleton to adapt in ways that stretch its normal function or abilities. This might include the brain’s ability to rewire itself to recover some lost functions and compensate for damage.

podcast: A digital audio or video series that can be downloaded from the Internet to your computer or smartphone. Some podcasts also are shows that are broadcast on radio, television or other media.

population: (in biology) A group of individuals (belonging to the same species) that lives in a given area.

psychologist: A scientist or mental-health professional who studies the mind, especially in relation to actions and behaviors. Some work with people. Others may conduct experiments with animals (usually rodents) to test how their minds respond to different stimuli and conditions.

reward: (In animal behavior) A stimulus, such as a tasty food pellet, that is offered to an animal or person to get them to change their behavior or to learn a task.

risk: The chance or mathematical likelihood that some bad thing might happen. For instance, exposure to radiation poses a risk of cancer. Or the hazard — or peril — itself. (For instance: Among cancer risks that the people faced were radiation and drinking water tainted with arsenic.)

smartphone: A cell (or mobile) phone that can perform a host of functions, including search for information on the internet.

social media: Digital media that allow people to connect with each other (often anonymously) and to share information. Examples include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp.

survey: To view, examine, measure or evaluate something, often land or broad aspects of a landscape. (with people) To ask questions that glean data on the opinions, practices (such as dining or sleeping habits), knowledge or skills of a broad range of people. Researchers select the number and types of people questioned in hopes that the answers these individuals give will be representative of others who are their age, belong to the same ethnic group or live in the same region. (n.) The list of questions that will be offered to glean those data.

symptom: A physical or mental indicator generally regarded to be characteristic of a disease. Sometimes a single symptom — especially a general one, such as fever or pain — can be a sign of any of many different types of injury or disease.

system: A network of parts that together work to achieve some function. For instance, the blood, vessels and heart are primary components of the human body’s circulatory system. Similarly, trains, platforms, tracks, roadway signals and overpasses are among the potential components of a nation’s railway system. System can even be applied to the processes or ideas that are part of some method or ordered set of procedures for getting a task done.

theory: (in science) A description of some aspect of the natural world based on extensive observations, tests and reason. A theory can also be a way of organizing a broad body of knowledge that applies in a broad range of circumstances to explain what will happen. Unlike the common definition of theory, a theory in science is not just a hunch. Ideas or conclusions that are based on a theory — and not yet on firm data or observations — are referred to as theoretical. Scientists who use mathematics and/or existing data to project what might happen in new situations are known as theorists.

tween: A child just approaching his or her teenage years. Tween is a term usually used for 11- to 12-year olds.

zombie scrolling: The act of mindlessly scrolling through social media or other websites. That mindlessness is what sets it apart from other online activities. Some researchers think it may be due to the brain craving novelty after becoming used to expecting dramatic digital stimulation. Such mindless viewing of digital content may diminish the brain’s ability to focus and be attentive, some studies suggest.