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“Brain rot” is Oxford’s 2024 Word of the Year, bringing attention to how excessive social media use may harm mental and intellectual health.

Oxford University Press has declared “brain rot” the 2024 Word of the Year, spotlighting the cognitive toll of excessive social media use. 

What Is Brain Rot? 

Oxford defines brain rot as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging. Also: something characterized as likely to lead to such deterioration.” 

First introduced in 1854 by Henry David Thoreau in Walden to critique society’s diminishing regard for intellectual depth, the term “brain rot” saw a 230% increase in usage between 2023 and 2024. It is now often used to describe the effects of consuming low-quality online content, particularly on platforms like TikTok. 

Is Brain Rot Real? 

Although not a recognized medical condition, numerous recent studies link excessive online content consumption to cognitive and mental health issues, lending credence to concerns over “brain rot.” 

• Jason Nagata, MD, and colleagues published a study in BMC Public Health that examined the relationship between screen time and child behavioral problems in 9,538 adolescents which found that higher total screen time was associated with all mental health symptoms, with the strongest association observed for depressive, conduct, somatic, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms. For depressive symptoms, the researchers found that video chat, texting, videos, and video games had the greatest associations. 
• In a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, study authors Peng Sha and Xiaoyu Dong discovered that TikTok use disorder in high school students was positively linked to memory loss, depression, anxiety, and stress. 
• Regarding adults and social media, a 2023 study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking found “the flow dimension of “telepresence” (immersion in a world created by the social media application) for both TikTok and Instagram users was associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety.” 

Rotting Brains With Medical Disinformation 

Inaccurate medical information on social media, particularly TikTok, is a growing concern, contributing to what some might call “brain rot.” Numerous studies highlight the issue: 

• In vitro fertilization (IVF): A Reproductive BioMedicine Online study found TikTok IVF videos scored poorly in knowledge quality and usefulness. 
• Autism: A study in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders reported most autism-related TikTok content is misaligned with current scientific understanding. 
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Research presented at the American College of Gastroenterology 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting noted nearly half of TikTok IBS videos, primarily influencer-driven, lacked quality instructional information. 
• Erectile dysfunction (ED): A 2023 UroToday–published analysis revealed substantial misinformation about ED treatment, largely from non-healthcare entities. 
• Gynecologic cancer: A 2023 Gynecologic Oncology–published study found TikTok gynecologic cancer-related content of poor educational quality, reflecting broader racial disparities. 
• Monkeypox (mpox): A 2023 study published on BMJ Global Health found TikTok videos on mpox frequently provided incomplete or inaccurate details. 

Oxford’s selection of “brain rot” as 2024’s Word of the Year may spark awareness of social media’s role in spreading harmful medical misinformation, as well as its possible negative impacts on cognitive and mental health, potentially relegating “brain rot” back to history.