A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will host a one-day public workshop to examine current research on how digital technologies interact with developing brain systems. The workshop will convene experts across sectors and disciplines to consider current research, and discuss what is known, areas of uncertainty, methodological challenges, and gaps in current knowledge. Discussion will be organized around several neural systems (e.g., sensory-motor, attention and executive function, socio-emotional processing, and reward and reinforcement systems) and types of digital technologies (e.g., gaming, social media, and passive media). The primary focus will be on school-age children and adolescents, where a larger body of research is available, while also considering earlier developmental stages where evidence permits.

Invited presentations and discussions may:

• Examine current neuroscience evidence on associations between digital technology use and brain structure and function during development, with attention to specific neural systems and studies using neuroimaging and other direct measures of brain activity, while considering how these findings may relate to cognitive, emotional, and social functioning.

• Consider how developmental timing and individual variability shape research findings on brain development, including differences across early childhood and adolescence and the role of environmental and social context in moderating observed effects.

• Discuss methodological approaches and data limitations in the existing brain development literature, including cross-sectional versus longitudinal designs, constraints of existing datasets, and challenges in isolating digital technology-related effects.

• Highlight areas of uncertainty and research gaps in brain development, including displacement effects (e.g., impacts on sleep, physical activity, and in-person social interaction) and opportunities to strengthen measurement and study design.

• Explore emerging technologies and future directions for studying the impact of technologies on brain development, including artificial intelligence, and identify questions to inform research and policy discussions.

A planning committee will develop the agenda for the workshop, select and invite speakers and discussants, and moderate the discussions. Following the workshop, a proceedings of the presentations and discussions will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.