US scientists say being active online may help stave off dementia. They followed 18,154 adults aged 50 - 65, none of whom had dementia at the start of the study, for an average of 7.9 years. Over the period, 4.68% of the participants were diagnosed with dementia. The team found regular use of the internet was linked with a halving of dementia risk, compared to those who didn't get online regularly. The link held, even after educational attainment, race-ethnicity, sex, and generation were taken into account. Although this type of study cannot show that regular internet use actually caused the reduction in dementia risk, the authors say online engagement may help to develop and maintain cognitive reserve, which can compensate for brain aging and reduce the risk of dementia.
Journal/conference: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Link to research (DOI): 10.1111/jgs.18394
Organisation/s: New York University, USA
Media release
From: Wiley
Can internet usage help protect against dementia?
New research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found a link between regular use of the internet and a lower risk of dementia.
For the study, investigators followed 18,154 dementia-free adults aged 50 to 64.9 years for a median of 7.9 years and a maximum of 17.1 years. During follow-up, 4.68% of participants were diagnosed with dementia.
Regular internet usage was associated with approximately half the risk of dementia compared with non-regular usage. This link was found regardless of educational attainment, race-ethnicity, sex, and generation.
“Online engagement may help to develop and maintain cognitive reserve, which can in turn compensate for brain aging and reduce the risk of dementia,” said corresponding author Virginia W. Chang, MD, PhD, of New York University.