Smartphone use could reduce dementia risk in older adults, study finds

The first generation that has been exposed consistently to digital technology has reached the age where symptoms of dementia tend to emerge. 

"You can flip on the news on just about any day and you'll see people talking about how technologies are harming us," said study co-author Michael Scullin in a press release.

"People often use the terms 'brain drain' and 'brain rot,' and now 'digital dementia' is an emerging phrase. As researchers, we wanted to know if this was true," Scullin said.

For the meta-review, researchers analyzed more than 136 studies that included 400,000 adults, with an average of six years of follow-up data.

"One of the first things that middle-aged and older adults were saying is that 'I'm so frustrated by this computer. This is hard to learn,'" he said in the release. 

"That's actually a reflection of the cognitive challenge, which may be beneficial for the brain even if it doesn't feel great in the moment."

Technology can be cognitively challenging because it is always changing, forcing users to learn and adapt, the researchers noted. This "exercises" the brain and helps keep it sharp.

Digital tools like web calendars, phone reminders and navigation apps can allow for greater independence in older adults.

The study found that "digital scaffolding" - the process of using these tools to perform daily tasks - "facilitates better functional outcomes in older adults while general cognitive functioning declines."

"Now you can connect with families across generations," Scullin said.

"You can not only talk to them, you can see them. You can share pictures. You can exchange emails - and it's all within a second or less. So that means there's a greater opportunity for decreasing loneliness."