Hi friend,
I have something important and timely to share with you. In today’s newsletter, Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Terry Sejnowski reveals powerful insights on how frequent use of AI may actually harm our brains.
Meet the Experts
Dr. Daniel Amen, a renowned brain health expert who has scanned the brains of Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Kendall Jenner, is joined by Dr. Terry Sejnowski, a pioneer in computational neuroscience and co-creator of the Boltzmann machine with Geoffrey Hinton.
Together, they break down a new MIT study suggesting that AI is not just changing how we think — it may actually be shrinking our brains, harming creativity, and wrecking memory.
Key Points They Discuss:
The evolutionary reason why ChatGPT is dangerous for your brain
How ChatGPT trains your brain to avoid discomfort, and why that’s dangerous
How using AI too early in life may block emotional growth and resilience
The surprising reason AI might make you more anxious, not less
Why brain reserve is your greatest defense against future decline
The hidden mental cost of seeking “perfect” partners through robotics and artificial intimacy
What you can do right now to protect your brain health in an AI-saturated world
Core Concerns About AI & Brain Health
1. Cognitive Atrophy
MIT Study Findings: Writing with ChatGPT led to a 47% drop in brain activity compared to unaided writing. Users had weaker memory, less ownership of ideas, and even lingering “cognitive debt” after stopping AI.
Why It Matters: Outsourcing thinking reduces cognitive load, weakening the neural pathways that power creativity, memory, and problem-solving.
Dementia Link: Avoiding challenging tasks may speed up decline. Lifelong learning builds “brain reserve” that protects against Alzheimer’s.
2. Developmental Risks for Children
Emotional Growth: Kids need discomfort to build resilience. AI may take that away.
Addiction Risk: AI chatbots hijack dopamine pathways, replacing real human bonds.
Education Impact: Swapping drills like spelling and math for AI use weakens fluency and brain development.
3. Social & Psychological Dangers
Artificial Intimacy: AI partners (e.g., Replika) simulate empathy but can leave people lonelier and more anxious.
Anxiety Paradox: Instead of calming us, AI often fuels perfectionism — making messy real-world experiences harder to handle.
Healthy AI Use: Expert Recommendations
1. Amplify, Don’t Replace Thinking
Use AI as a sparring partner, not a substitute.
Ask: “Critique my essay” instead of “Write my essay.”
2. Balance AI with “Brain-Only” Tasks
Handwrite ideas.
Read real books.
Solve problems without calculators.
For kids: encourage play, teamwork, and real conversations.
3. Strengthen Brain Health Daily
Exercise: 30 minutes boosts blood flow and triggers neuroprotective genes.
Omega-3s: Essential for brain cell health.
Sleep: 7–9 hours for memory consolidation.
Breathing: 4-sec inhale, 8-sec exhale to reduce stress.
4. Build “Brain Reserve”
Dr. Amen’s BRIGHT MINDS framework tackles 11 major risks:
Blood flow, Retirement, Inflammation, Genetics, Head trauma, Toxins, Mental health, Infections, Nutrition, Diabetes, Sleep.
Critical Warnings
Short-Term Convenience vs. Long-Term Cost: Overreliance on AI, GPS, and spell-check weakens brain functions if not balanced with challenge.
Children First: Nothing replaces face-to-face bonding, eye contact, and unstructured play.
Corporate Interests: Remember, AI companies optimize for profit — not your well-being.
We embrace convenience before understanding consequences. This time, we must be wiser.” – Dr. Daniel Amen
That’s the full summary you asked for. I hope it helps you understand the research in a clear and engaging way. This was definitely an episode worth paying attention to.
Take care of your brain — it’s your most valuable asset.
Take Care,
Ahammed Yousuf