Research team's use of digital devices reduces the risk of cognitive decline in old age

Apr 15, 2025

Research team's use of digital devices reduces the risk of cognitive decline in old age
Image=Pixabay



While digital technologies such as computers and smartphones are widely used around the world, the first generation that has grown up with digital technologies is reaching an age when dementia symptoms are common. The digital dementia hypothesis has been widely known that the ability to directly remember, calculate, and process information is degenerated due to digital device dependence, but on the contrary, there is also a hypothesis that regular digital technology use promotes cognitive ability preservation behavior and reduces cognitive decline.

In a paper published in the scientific journal Nature Human Behavior on the 15th, Jared Benji and Michael Scullin of the University of Texas at Austin and Michael Scullin of Baylor said that the use of digital technology reduces the risk of cognitive decline in old age. This is the result of meta-analysis of 57 studies that investigated the impact of digital technology use on cognitive function on 410,000 adults. The research team said the results contradict the 'digital dementia' hypothesis that digital technology use weakens cognitive ability, suggesting that technology exposure can form technological reserves and act as a buffer to slow cognitive decline.

In this study, the research team searched for 57 papers that met the criteria and analyzed the relationship between digital technology use and cognitive function in old age in major DBs (Medline, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Science Direct, Scopus, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, Web of Science, etc.) that publish peer-reviewed papers. An observational or cohort study involving 411,430 adults (68.7 years of average age), which includes observations of changes in cognitive ability through cognitive or dementia diagnostic results, focusing on the common use of digital technology over 50 years of age.




As a result of the analysis, the Odds Ratio of cognitive impairment according to the use of digital technology was 0.42 (95% confidence interval). This means that the group that uses digital technology has a 58% lower risk of cognitive impairment than the group that uses digital technology less. In addition, in a longitudinal study that tracked the relationship between digital technology use and cognitive ability for an average of 6.2 years, it was analyzed that digital technology use was related to lowering the risk of cognitive decline by 26% (HR=0.74).

The research team found no evidence to support the digital dementia hypothesis in the study, and the cognitive decline effect of digital technology use remained significant when considering demographic and socioeconomic factors, health, and cognitive reserve indicators. However, the study shows a cognitive health association with digital technology use but does not provide a causal mechanism, he said, adding that further research is needed.






This article was translated by Naver AI translator.