Digital Devices Used by Research Team Show Promise in Reducing Cognitive Decline

As digital tools like computers and smartphones become increasingly prevalent globally, we’re seeing the emergence of individuals who have spent their entire lives surrounded by these technologies reach an age where signs of dementia typically appear. On one hand, the concept of “digital dementia” suggests that reliance on digital devices may lead to deterioration in memory, calculation skills, and overall information processing abilities. Conversely, some argue that consistent usage of digital technology might foster behaviors that help maintain cognitive functions and potentially slow down mental decline.

On the 15th, in an article published in the scientific journal Nature Human Behavior, researchers Jared Benji from the University of Texas at Austin and Michael Scullin from Baylor stated that using digital technology may help reduce the likelihood of cognitive decline later in life. Their findings were derived from analyzing data collected across 57 different studies involving more than 410,000 adult participants examining how engaging with digital technologies affects mental capabilities. According to this study’s conclusions, these outcomes challenge what was previously known as ‘digital dementia,’ which posits that frequent usage of such devices could diminish one’s intellectual capacity; instead, they suggest that regular interaction with tech tools builds up a kind of reserve that acts like armor against rapid deterioration of brain functions over time.

For this investigation, the researchers identified 57 studies that satisfied the specified conditions and examined the connection between the utilization of digital technologies and cognitive capabilities in later life across key databases such as Medline, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Science Direct, Scopus, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, Web of Science, among others, which feature peer-reviewed articles. The analysis encompassed an observational or cohort study comprising data from 411,430 individuals with an average age of 68.7 years. This included tracking variations in cognitive skills via assessments related to cognition or dementia diagnoses, concentrating specifically on regular engagement with digital tools amongst those aged over 50.

The odds ratio indicating the association between cognitive impairment and the usage of digital technology stood at 0.42 (with a 95% confidence level). Consequently, individuals who engage with digital technology have a reduced likelihood of experiencing cognitive impairments by approximately 58%, compared to those who utilize such technologies less frequently. Furthermore, over a six-year period in which researchers monitored how engaging with digital tools impacted participants’ cognitive abilities longitudinally, evidence suggested that using these technologies correlated with a decreased hazard rate of cognitive deterioration by about 26% (a HR of 0.74).

The research team discovered no proof supporting the digital dementia theory in their study. Even after accounting for demographic and socio-economic variables, health conditions, and cognitive reserves, the adverse impact of using digital technologies on cognition persisted. Nevertheless, the investigation revealed an association between cognitive well-being and the utilization of digital tools without elucidating the underlying causality. The researcher emphasized that additional studies are necessary to explore this relationship further.