The hidden costs of screen time: altered brain network efficiency in children with autism spectrum disorder

This study examined how prolonged screen time (ST) affects brain network efficiency in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using graph theory analysis. Participants (N = 164) were divided into low-dose exposure (LDE, n = 108) and high-dose exposure (HDE, n = 56) groups. Clinical data and brain topological properties were compared between groups. The HDE group exhibited significantly greater autism severity and poorer language development than those with LDE. The HDE group showed significantly reduced global (Eglob) and local efficiency (Eloc). The LDE group exhibited higher nodal efficiency (Enod) in the right precentral gyrus, parietal lobe, and left superior temporal gyrus (STG), along with increased nodal degree in the right ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), right thalamus (CON network), and left STG and increased betweenness in the left ventral frontal cortex (vFC) of the CON, left post cingulate of DMN and right vmPFC in the default mode network(DMN). There were significant positive correlations between Eglob and both eye-hand coordination DQ and ST. Excessive ST is associated with alterations in brain network topology in ASD children, particularly in the DMN, impairing information integration and segregation efficiency.