2023-05-05 23:00:00
A study has found that regular Internet use in the elderly has the effect of preventing dementia. Excessive use of the Internet or immersion in online games can cause adverse effects such as addiction symptoms, but appropriate use can give healthy stimulation to the brain.
New York University researcher Cho Ga-won published a study on the 3rd (local time) in the international journal ‘Journal of Geriatrics’ that found that the risk of developing dementia was significantly lowered in elderly people who regularly used the Internet.
Dementia occurs when nerve cells in the brain gradually disappear due to aging, resulting in loss of brain tissue and atrophy of the brain. The ability to think and make judgments for social activities gradually disappears, making daily life difficult.
In addition to controlling eating habits and regular exercise, ways to prevent dementia include brain activities such as playing Go or solving simple calculation problems. Even when using the Internet, our brains are actively moving, but the effect of Internet use on dementia has not been well known.
The research team followed 18,154 adults aged 50 to 64.9 in the United States for up to 17.1 years to determine the effect of the Internet on dementia prevention. The time they usually use the Internet and the time of onset of dementia were checked, respectively.
At the end of the survey, 4.68% of the participants had been diagnosed with dementia. The research team used a Cox regression model to determine the effect of a single variable on the probability of an event occurring, and confirmed the association between Internet usage and the risk of developing dementia.
The analysis found that people who regularly used the Internet every day had half the risk of developing dementia compared to those who rarely used the Internet. The research team explained, “Regardless of education, race, and gender, the risk of developing dementia was found to be significantly lower among those who use the Internet.” “The greatest reduction in the risk of dementia was found in those who regularly used the Internet for 10 minutes to 2 hours a day,” he said.
As for why Internet use can prevent dementia, the research team said, “Various types of online exchange activities can help prevent brain aging and develop and maintain cognitive functions.” However, he added that additional research is needed to confirm the adverse effects of excessive use of the Internet on cognitive function.
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