International

Teenage smartphone addicts suffer from imbalances in brain chemistry that can cause anxiety, say researchers.
     They had higher levels of neurotransmitter GABA, which helps to control over-excitement.Having too much of this can result in a number of side-effects including drowsiness and anxiety.
     The study tested nineteen 15-year-olds with internet or smartphone-use problems and 19 healthy kids.
     Researchers used standardised internet and smartphone addiction tests to measure the severity of internet addiction.
     The South Korean docs then used MRS, a scan that measures the brain’s chemicals, to see how addiction affected routines, social life, sleeping, productivity and feelings.