Digital Dementia: Can Technology Improve Cognitive Decline Among The Elderly? Study Says Yes

Using technology like the internet, social media, or smartphones can reduce the risk of dementia in old age. As an elderly person, if you think digital technology is making things harder for you, it is not. It may be rather beneficial to start using it to stay mentally active and lower the risk of dementia.

According to a recent study titled A meta-analysis of technology use and cognitive ageing by neuroscientists at Baylor University and the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, published in the journal Nature Human Behavior this week, digital technology has fostered cognitive resilience among older adults. The findings are against the idea of digital dementia, according to which long-term exposure to digital technology depletes one’s cognitive abilities.

Digital dementia is not officially an illness. It is a general term used for cognitive decline due to excessive screen time and over-dependence on technology. Usually, it is considered that dependence on digital technologies reduces cognitive abilities, but the study argues against this notion.

The study analysed 136 research papers and selected 57 studies to test the digital dementia hypothesis. These included over 4,00,000 elderly, aged 68 years on an average. The findings reveal that digital technology has slowed down cognitive decline or developed cognitive resilience in old age in the surveyed individuals.

The data revealed no correlation between technology use and the risk of cognitive impairment. It indicates that using digital technology is not as harmful as it is considered.

The author of the study emphasises that when an elderly find it difficult to use technology, such as learning to use a computer or navigating a website is difficult, it indicates that their brain is being challenged. But in hindsight, the challenge is beneficial as it forces them to learn and keep their brain active.

However, the study does not completely cancel out any negative impact of digital technology. It only highlights the lack of correlation between digital technology and cognitive risks, but at the same time, it surely does not endorse surfing the internet, scrolling the videos, or watching endless reels mindlessly. The study discusses its limitations as well.

Study Limitations:

The data analysed did not have details about how older adults were using the technological devices. So, it is difficult to ascertain which mode, a computer, a phone, or any other device, is more suitable to protect cognitive health.

Also, the information about the time spent using technology is not known, which makes it difficult to find out what time limit is beneficial for cognitive health. 

There are other crucial aspects also. The surveyed elderly people used the technology at a young age, which was not available to them easily. They had to work for it.

Since the study analysed previous research that lacked data on participants’ technology usage habits, the best practices could not be determined.

Complex Mental Activities Are Helpful:

Needless to say, the study challenges the idea of digital dementia and supports the notion that engaging in complex mental activities can help to keep the brain active and healthy in old age. It suggests that technology use may not be entirely harmful. While the study does not endorse mindless surfing, probably moderate use could benefit cognitive function.

So, the next time you come across something challenging and difficult to understand, remind yourself that it is helping your brain. Keep learning and challenging your brain. It may feel exhausting at times, but it is good for building cognitive resilience, especially as the senses begin to decline with age.