Brains are made of neural networks – billions and billions of nerves, each of which can either send out or receive information. An efficient neural network has built strong connections between areas that are often used together, and severed connections that aren't used that slow down the brain.

Over the course of a lifetime, a person "trains" his neural network to be as efficient as possible at responding to stimuli in his own environment.

The array of stimuli in the modern world – think email, flashing web pages, interactive video games – is distinctly different than anything the brain has had to adapt to in the history of human evolution.

As a result, our brains are being forced to adapt to a changing at an astronomical pace.

Just as pianists grow enlarged motor cortexes that are physically different from those of violinists, so do Web surfers cultivate neural synapses that are different than non-Internet users.

In general, kids' brains are more susceptible to their environments -- digital or otherwise.

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