One of the Seven Steps to Protect Your Cognitive Vitality is to keep learning and stimulating your brain throughout life. The internet has become a major source of information and a convenient method of communication via email, social media, and virtual meetings. In a recent study, older people who regularly used the internet had approximately half the risk of dementia compared to non-regular users of the internet [1].
These findings come from a longitudinal survey of 18,154 older adults (50–65 years old) in the US who were dementia-free at the start of the study. Participants were asked whether they “regularly use the World Wide Web, or the Internet, for sending and receiving e-mail or for any other purpose, such as making purchases, searching for information, or making travel reservations”. They were also asked how many hours they spent using the internet, excluding time spent watching TV or movies online. Participants were followed for a median of 7.9 years (a maximum of 17.1 years) and were tested on cognitive status every two years.
Researchers discovered that people who regularly used the internet had approximately half the risk of dementia compared to non-regular users of the internet, after controlling for many factors such as baseline cognitive function, health, and demographic factors such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, household income, and others. Also, being a regular user of the internet for a greater number of years was associated with an even lower risk of dementia.
Researchers explored what amount of daily internet use is associated with the lowest risk of dementia and discovered that people who used the internet for 0.1–2.0 hours daily had the lowest risk of dementia compared to those who did not use the internet at all. However, there was also a trend for a higher risk of dementia in people who used the internet for 6.1–8.0 hours daily. Thus, it is possible there is a sweet spot for the amount of internet use that is optimal for brain health.
These findings are consistent with some prior studies linking the use of the internet in older adults with lower risk of cognitive decline or dementia [2; 3; 4]. How might regular internet use be associated with better brain health? Online engagement through emailing, social media, and virtual meetings may help maintain and build social connections, one of the Seven Steps for Cognitive Health we recommend. The internet may also be used to read the news or learn something new—and stimulating your brain through learning is another one of our recommended Seven Steps. Also, using new technology and learning something new can increase ‘cognitive reserve’, the capacity of the brain to resist the effects of age-related changes or disease-related pathology such that one can maintain cognitive function for longer [5].
With regards to the potential association between excessive internet use (6+ hours daily) and higher dementia risk, it is possible that spending too much time sitting at the computer may lead to fewer hours left for physical activity or in-person social interactions, both of which are also important for brain health. In younger populations, studies have shown that excessive digital technology use is associated with reduced attention, impaired emotional intelligence, technology addiction, social isolation, and disrupted sleep [6]. More research is warranted in older adults to identify the types and durations of internet activities that are associated with better cognitive health and their underlying biological mechanisms.
Yuko Hara, PhD, is Director of Aging and Alzheimer's Prevention at the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation. Dr. Hara was previously an Assistant Professor in Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she remains an adjunct faculty member. Her research focused on brain aging, specifically how estrogens and reproductive aging influence the aging brain's synapses and mitochondria. She earned a doctorate in neurology and neuroscience at Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University and a bachelor's degree in biology from Cornell University, with additional study at Keio University in Japan. Dr. Hara has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, including articles in PNAS and Journal of Neuroscience.
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