Impact of Digital Technologies on Pediatric Bioelectric Brain Activity, Language Development, and Adolescent Mental Health: A Psychoneurological Perspective

Background: Rapid digitalization and screen exposure have fundamentally altered early childhood neurodevelopment and adolescent psychopathology. Excessive screen time during early developmental windows is linked to altered bioelectric brain activity, speech delays, and pseudo-autistic behavior. Simultaneously, adolescent social media engagement correlates with severe mental health disorders. Objective: This study synthesizes clinical and psychoneurological evidence regarding: (1) the impact of screen time on pediatric bioelectric cortical oscillations, language acquisition, and "digital autism"; and (2) the neurobiological relationship between social media addiction, generalized anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation in adolescents. Methods: A systematic psychoneurological review was conducted analyzing quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and clinical cohort data across international databases for pediatric and adolescent populations between 2019 and 2026. Results: Quantitative EEG findings demonstrate that prolonged screen exposure in toddlers leads to elevated slow-wave theta (4–8 Hz) and delta (0.5–4 Hz) power in fronto-temporal regions alongside suppressed alpha/beta desynchronization, impairing structural integrity in the arcuate fasciculus and Broca's area. In adolescents, algorithm-driven dopamine micro-rewards induce mesolimbic down-regulation, hyperactivating the Default Mode Network (DMN) and significantly elevating clinical anxiety, depressive syndromes, and suicidal ideation. Conclusion: Excessive screen exposure and social media dependency induce measurable bioelectric and structural neural alterations across pediatric and adolescent age groups. Targeted digital hygiene protocols, early qEEG screening, and cognitive-behavioral interventions are essential to mitigate these psychoneurological risks.