Dementia: Engaging with digital technology may reduce risk by 58%

Evan Walker
Evan Walker TheMediTary.Com |
An older adult man sits on a chair outside with a cup in his hadn while looking at his tablet computer as the camera focuses on him through foliageShare on Pinterest
Does using technology contribute to ‘digital dementia’ or does it protect the brain? A new analysis finds promising evidence. Westend61/Getty Images
  • Since social media became mainstream in the early 2000s, people today are using digital technology more than ever.
  • Past studies have discussed the potential health hazards of using too much technology, including a potential negative impact on brain function and “digital dementia.”
  • A new study has found that digital technology use may actually help protect against cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk in older adults.

Since the exploding popularity of the World Wide Web in the mid-1990s, people today are more connected than ever before. Then as social media became mainstream in the early 2000s, today people of all ages spend hours of every day — two hours and 24 minutes on average, to be exact — scrolling through Facebook and Instagram feeds, and watching TikTok videos.

“In the last three decades, it’s possible that the largest change to societies across the globe has been the digital revolution,” Michael K. Scullin, PhD, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University told Medical News Today. “The emergence of home computing, Internet, and smartphones has fundamentally changed daily human behaviors. To the scientist, this presents an interesting question: how does a fundamental change to the way humans behave everyday influence cognitive outcomes later in life?”

Past studies have discussed the potential health hazards of using too much technology, including a potential negative impact on brain function.

A German neuroscientist and psychiatrist named Dr. Manfred Spitzer coined the term “digital dementia” with his book published in 2012 regarding Health">cognitive decline due to the excessive use of digital devices, with newer related terms being used such as “brain rot” and “brain drain.”

Conversely, Scullin is the co-lead author of a new study recently published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour that has found the opposite to be true — digital technology use may actually help protect against cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk in older adults.

When asked how digital technology use might be able to help lower an older adult’s risk for cognitive impairment and dementia, Scullin said it’s because digital technologies provide opportunities for cognitive/mental stimulation.

“Learning to use a computer, navigate the Internet, and use a smartphone can all be experienced as challenging, but that’s a good sign for ‘exercising your brain’. Digital devices can also help us stay connected with friends and family members via email, texts, sharing photos, video calling, and other approaches. This is valuable because studies indicate that loneliness and social isolation lead to negative cognitive outcomes in older adults.”
— Michael K. Scullin, PhD

“We have also seen the value of digital devices in helping people to compensate for age-related cognitive decline,” Scullin continued. “For example, people who are having difficulties with prospective memory can offload their future intended tasks to a digital calendar and receive automated reminders to wish people happy birthday, remember to take their medications at the appropriate time, and attend appointments.”

Jared F. Benge, PhD, associate professor of neurology at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin and the other co-lead author of this study, added that trading an activity — like passively watching TV — with something more engaging — such as searching the web for information or learning something new — may be more stimulating than other activities.

“Dementia is an incredibly complex series of diseases, with a huge personal, societal, and economic burden,” Benge told MNT. “Given this complexity, there is no magic bullet to cure, prevent, or reverse all cases. Instead, I believe we need to understand any tools at our disposal to help. The digital environment may be a uniquely helpful tool to leverage to help prevent, manage, and address brain health.”

  • Use the technology but don’t overuse it. Too much use of technology can cause mental fatigue, decrease attention span, and cause neck and back pain. Take regular breaks from your tech use in order to balance your online and offline worlds.
  • Train but don’t strain your brain. To avoid “device frustration syndrome,” if you are having difficulty navigating an app or program, reach out to others who may assist you or pivot to easier platforms that are less frustrating. Even though your tech use may strengthen your brain neural circuits, stress has been shown to worsen memory and other cognitive functions.
  • Stay connected. Social isolation increases risk for depression and dementia so get comfortable with email, texting, social media, and videoconferencing to stay close to friends and family members.

“Life expectancy has increased dramatically, so people are living longer than ever before in history,” Small said. “Unfortunately, age is the greatest single risk factor for developing dementia, a cognitive decline that disrupts a person’s ability to care for themselves. This age wave is leading to an epidemic of late-life dementia.”

“Although we have medicines that can temporarily delay cognitive decline, there is no cure,” he added. “The available science is compelling that lifestyle habits (e.g., physical exercise, healthy diet, mental stimulation, staying socially connected) have a meaningful impact on mitigating dementia risk.”

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