Forbidden Habit Practiced Behind Closed Doors Shockingly Linked to Dementia

Tens of millions of Americans engage in a taboo habit that scientists warn could pose a risk to cognitive health. A recent study found that regularly viewing pornography can immediately impair a person’s performance on tasks that require attention and cognitive control after exposure to inappropriate content.

Impaired executive function and cognitive decline are known early signs of cognitive decline, precursors to dementia, the Daily Mail reports. Research has shown that if such effects persist or recur over time, they could potentially lead to long-term health risks.

In the study, college students watched a 10-minute pornographic video online. Before and after watching it, they took a test that measures concentration and attention control, requiring them to name the color of ink that represents a word even if the word is written in a different color, as well as three psychological questionnaires. The researchers noticed that after watching the pornography, the participants had significantly slower reaction times and made more errors on the test compared to before watching it.

In addition, the patterns of brain activity observed in these students resembled those seen in people with drug addiction and schizophrenia.

Approximately 69% of men and 40% of women in the US view pornography online each year, the Daily Mail reports. Among young people aged 18 to 25, 57% report viewing pornography monthly or more often, compared to 29% of those aged 25 and over. Porn addiction is more common among men, with 11% reporting a problem.

The study was conducted by researchers at Chengdu Medical College in China and involved 16 healthy college students and five college students with serious internet pornography addiction. The participants completed a test, watched a 10-minute pornographic video, and then repeated the test while the scientists monitored their brain activity. Each group completed 18 stages of the test, each lasting two seconds.

The results revealed clear differences between the two groups, the Daily Mail reports. Low-frequency users showed stronger connectivity in areas of the brain responsible for processing speech, motor coordination and sensory information.

While high-frequency users showed increased connectivity in areas associated with executive functions, which are commonly linked to addiction and emotional regulation, suggesting that frequent pornography use may cause neural and behavioural effects similar to other addictions, the Daily Mail points out.

However, the research team noted that the low-frequency pornography use group also had lower accuracy and increased reactivity on the test.

The findings suggest that even if people watch porn infrequently, they will still experience cognitive effects.

The study also looked at emotional reactions during viewing. Participants who watched pornography less frequently showed a wider range of emotions, such as surprise, fear and disgust, while regular viewers had more muted or neutral facial expressions. This supports the idea that repeated exposure to explicit content can dull emotional sensitivity over time.

In addition to the cognitive effects, the high-frequency pornography consumption group scored significantly higher on anxiety and depression questionnaires.

While the study did not determine whether pornography use caused these symptoms or whether they were caused by other factors, the findings are consistent with earlier research linking excessive pornography consumption to increased emotional distress.

"The effects of Internet pornography addiction on functional brain connectivity in the prefrontal lobe have characteristics similar to those of drug addiction," the researchers concluded. "Moreover, people who frequently consume Internet pornography report experiencing greater sexual arousal and pleasure while viewing, which subsequently negatively impacts their cognitive abilities and emotions."

Another study, published in May 2024, surveyed thousands of adults around the world on "problematic pornography use," the Daily Mail reports. This was defined as watching enough pornography to harm relationships and work, and found that three percent of people reported using pornography, but less than one percent sought treatment.

Dr. Beate Bethe, lead author of the study and a psychologist at the University of Montreal, said: “Our study shows that problematic pornography use may be more common than many people think and affects a wide range of people. It highlights that while many people are struggling, few seek help. This is important because it suggests that more work needs to be done to understand and support those affected.”