People of all ages are now growing – and aging – immersed in digital screens, arousing concerns about the potential effects on the brain.
On the one hand, researchers warn against “digital dementia” in which excessive use of digital devices, especially in young people and young adults, can lead to a cognitive decline over time. On the other hand, studies have suggested that “digital isolation” can accelerate cognitive decline, while adoption of the digital world can protect cognitive function.
“Technology is neither intrinsically more friend or enemy of the brain. It is a powerful force that can nourish or erode cognitive health depending on the way it is used, “said Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PHD, neurologist and researcher in Miami, said Medical News MEDSCAPE.
The “Sweet Spot” lies in attentive and adapted to age, said Lakhan.
Digital dementia: too much of a good thing?
“Digital dementia” is a term Invented by the neuroscientist Manfred Spitzer to describe an overuse of digital technology, which could trigger memory problems and negatively affect the structure and function of the brain.
This could be particularly problematic in adolescence and the beginning of adulthood – critical neurodevelopment periods, marked by significant changes in the prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for complex cognitive tasks such as decision -making and control of impulses.
There are a number of studies that seem to justify this concern. A recent report have shown that adolescents who were heavy users of digital devices were twice as likely as infrequent users to show symptoms of attention / hyperactivity deficit disorder. Increased use of mobile devices to calm preschool children was also linked decreased executive functioning and increased emotional reactivity.
In A recent evidence reviewExcessive use of smartphones was associated with difficulties in regulating cognitive emotion, impulsiveness, altered cognitive function, dependence on social networks, timidity and low self -esteem. Medical problems related to excessive use of smartphones included sleep problems, reduced physical form, unhealthy eating habits, pain and migraines and changes in the volume of gray brain matter.
Lakhan wrote on what he calls “digital anhedonia” – the growing phenomenon where individuals, in particular young people, lose the ability to find joy in the experiences of the real world after a chronic exhibition with very stimulating digital content.
“It is not a clinical depression in itself, but an blunt of the natural reward circuits driven by a neuroengineered algorithmic oversimulation.
“With the right level and the right type of stimulation, digital tools can support and even optimize brain circuits. But with overexposure to a high dopamine and low effort content, we risk disturbing this delicate development trajectory,” he added.
Digital isolation: not enough of a good thing?
On the other hand, for the elderly, the concern is not a sustimulation but an underexposition.
Many elderly people face obstacles to digital access – limited internet connectivity, unknown with smartphones or computers, financial constraints or lack of confidence in the use of digital tools. Paradoxically, some studies have shown that this “digital isolation” can accelerate cognitive decline at the middle age and beyond.
“The cognitive decline of this group is often accelerated not by technological overuse but by social disconnection, loneliness and lack of mental engagement – factors that digital tools can really help to thwart,” said Lakhan Medical News MEDSCAPE.
For example, analysis From the future study on American health and retirement by more than 18,000 adults aged 50 to 65, followed up to 17 years old, revealed that regular Internet users had about half of the risk of dementia that non -regular users. Being a regular internet user for longer periods at the end of adulthood was associated with delayed cognitive impairment.
In a Recent meta-analysis Out of 57 studies with more than 400,000 adults (average age, 69 years), investigators found that the use of digital technology such as computers, the Internet and smartphones was associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment and with cognitive decline depending on reduced time.
“The digital revolution has fundamentally changed the cognitive landscape,” said Michael Scullin, PHD, with Baylor University, Waco, Texas, who co-written the study with Jared Benge, PHD, with the University of Texas in Austin, Texas ,, Medical MEDICAL News.
“Some feared that digital devices cause a” brain rot “, which would cause concern that digital tools can accelerate cognitive decline,” said Scullin.
However, the grouped data shows no evidence of digital dementia.
“Instead, the use of technology was actually associated with better cognitive results. This model persisted when we control many factors that could sparingly explain the relationship, such as socioeconomic status, education, lifestyle, general health and other factors,” noted Scullin.
Research has also suggested that technology use models could be used as an indicator of cognitive change. Data analysis Six waves (2015-2020) of the national study on the health and aging of trends has shown that stopping the use of the Internet, computers and tablets and the sending of texts and emails were correlated with cognitive decline in the elderly. This suggests that monitoring technology use models can be an innovative approach that is economical and effective in identifying individuals at risk of cognitive decline, the authors said.
In the same direction, A recent study The digital isolation set as a significant risk factor in dementia in the elderly, stressing the importance of digital engagement in the risk of dementia attenuation.
Scullin said Medical News MEDSCAPE that the use of digital technologies could be associated with a “positive net” advantage for the elderly by promoting 3 C: complexity, connection and compensation.
“Learning to use digital technologies can be mentally stimulating, as is the adaptation of software and hardware updates (complexity),” said Scullin. “Digital devices offer opportunities to stay connected with friends and family members by email, send SMS, sharing photos and video calls, which is important because loneliness at elderly is generally associated with worse cognitive results.”
There is also a compensatory advantage in using digital devices.
“If someone has trouble remembering to take their medication or remember the appointments, using a digital calendar can help them by providing automated reminders,” said Scullin.
To combat digital isolation, clinicians could recommend tailor -made interventions, such as user -friendly devices (tablets with large icons and simplified interfaces to reduce frustration) and digital training workshops in local communities.
“Unlike the brain in young development, the aging brain benefits from stimulation and novelty, especially when digital technologies support social interaction, cognitive training and access to information. In this context, technology becomes a therapeutic ally rather than a threat,” added Lakhan.
Find “Sweet Spot” technology
Given the potential damage to excessive use of digital technology at the start of life and the protective effects in adults of middle and older age – what is the best balance between technology, at different stages of life?
For children, adolescents and young adults, moderation is essential. “This means setting limits and prioritizing technology that supports creativity and learning rather than passive consumption,” said Lakhan.
The American Academy of Pediatrics provides nuanced recommendations For the “screen time” based on the age and the development needs of a child. THE Organizational notes that any screen use is not intrinsically harmful. High quality content focused on problem solving or language learning can help cognitive growth. However, scrolling or gameless game without limits of time can erode the duration of attention and reduce the possibilities of face to face social interaction.
Clinicians could consider advising parents and adolescents to adopt conscious digital habits. These include planned screen breaks (define alarms or use applications reminding users to take breaks); Deliberate use by differentiating active learning through electronic books and the interactive resolution of passive consumption problems such as endless navigation on social networks; And digital hygiene with hours without aircraft, especially before bedtime, to improve the quality of sleep.
Although there are no specific directives concerning screen time in the elderly, the American Gériatrics Society encourages the use of digital technology to improve the health and well-being of the elderly. Although they do not define a fixed daily screen time quota, the World Health Organization 2020 Global Guidelines For adults aged 65 or over, emphasizing the limitation of total sedentary time and the rupture of long sitting fights.
“Clinicians should go beyond the screen time and ask more nuanced questions: what type of content?” How much is it for? How does it affect mood and attention? ” Said Lakhan. “In my opinion, digital literacy must be treated as nutritional literacy – all the time on the screen is not empty calories, but largely.”