Question: does tv,xbox,music etc really kill brain cells, if so why?

Hi Drunktinyturtle,

Your parents will likely hate me for this, but stimulus such as TV or music will not kill brain cells.

Brain cells grow and die on a regular basis. As we have new experiences, such as listening to a new piece of music or playing an xbox game, pathways in the brain are used more, and this use grows new brain cells and strengthens old paths.

In fact, playing xbox games has been linked with better reflex times and decision making ability.

So why do people say it? Well it is more of a phrase that we use to express the fact that watching a lot of television, or just playing video games, is really only one type of stimulus or input.

It is good to experience a variety of things, and wider experience is linked with better social skills, better decision making and better adaptation skills. So by all means, watch Attenborough on TV, or play a bit of XBOX and listen to Mozart or whatever music you like, but mix it up with other things, sport, spending time with other people, exercise and just sitting in nature watching it.