Horrifying brain scan shows how teenagers react to excessive phone use

Libbi is just like any other teenager, glued to her phone and spending countless hours scrolling through social media. But the 17-year-old from Bolton trialled swapping phones with her grandad after a horrifying study that revealed how teenagers can react to excessive phone use.

MRI scans conducted for ITV’s Tonight programme showed how the brain reacts to pleasurable experiences such as browsing social media on mobile devices.

While a fully developed adult brain knows when to stop, teenage brains don’t have the same fully developed control centre - making them more prone to addictive behaviour, the study revealed.

READ MORE New finish line for Manchester Marathon 2025 announced

The study comes as MP Josh MacAlister launched a private members bill proposing a ban on smartphones in schools, and raising the ‘internet adulthood’ age from 13 to 16, meaning under 16s would need a parent or guardians permission to use social media apps like TikTok or Instagram.

Most schools in England already restrict phone use, after government guidance introduced in February. But Mr MacAlister wants the protections to become law.

With research revealing that 14 per cent of teens exhibit addictive-type behaviours towards social media, Libbi, 17 and her granddad Alan, from Bolton, agreed to swap phones for four days in ITV's Tonight programme Smartphones: Time To Live Without Them?

She swapped her smartphone for Alan's 'brick' phone, with no access to the internet or any social media applications.

Libbi, 17, from Bolton, said: “I use my mobile phone all day every day. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is check my social media, I go through my phone when I'm getting ready.

"I always have something playing and then on my