Surf the Web? It May Be Good for Your Brain

Whether it’s to email a friend or shop online, older adults who routinely use the internet may be reaping brain health benefits, new research suggests.

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that regular internet usage by adults ages 50 to 65 was associated with approximately half the risk of developing dementia compared with those who did not go online.

“Online engagement may help to develop and maintain cognitive reserve, which can in turn compensate for brain aging and reduce the risk of dementia,” corresponding author Virginia W. Chang, M.D., an associate professor of social and behavioral sciences at New York University’s School of Global Public Health, said in a news release.

Keeping the mind active is one of six pillars for brain health established by AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health.

The study details

Earlier research pointed to a potential brain health benefit for older adults who use the internet, but it did not focus much on long-term cognitive benefits. Chang and her colleagues designed their study to look deeper.

Using data collected as part of the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study (HRS), they focused on 18,154 adults ages 50 to 65 who did not have dementia when the study period began. Each had been asked if they regularly used the internet for sending and receiving email or for any other purpose. Roughly two-thirds of participants used the internet, and a third did not. They were followed for an average of nearly eight years.

Follow-up surveys conducted by telephone or in person every two years included the same question. About 20 percent of participants showed changes in internet usage over the course of the study period. Participants were tested for dementia and scored based on a common cognitive assessment. The overall rate of incident dementia during the study period was 4.68 percent.