Seniors Who Love Their Tech Tend to Have Less Dementia

New research suggests that older adults who regularly use digital technology—think smartphones, computers, and the internet—have a lower risk of cognitive decline. A meta-analysis of 57 studies published in Nature Human Behaviour found that people over 50 who engaged with everyday digital technology had a 58% lower risk of cognitive impairment compared to those who used it less, reports the Washington Post. Researchers aren't asserting that use of the technology causes the better outcomes, but the study suggests that regular screen time appears to have its benefits in the senior set—the average age in the research was 69.

"We saw that older adults who are engaging with technologies overall seem to be having less diagnoses of dementia, mild cognitive impairment, better scores on cognitive measures," study co-author Jared Benge of the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin tells the newspaper. While socioeconomic factors like wealth and education play a role, the positive link held true even when those were accounted for, researchers say. The analysis identifies three main ways technology can help: by providing mental challenges—through puzzles, for example, or troubleshooting software—improving social connection, and compensating for shortcomings through tools such as GPS.

"It flips the script that technology is always bad," Dr. Murali Doraiswamy, director of the Neurocognitive Disorders Program at Duke University, tells the New York Times. Doraiswamy, who wasn't involved with the study, does point out a chicken-or-the-egg conundrum in that only seniors mentally able to embrace tech might be the ones doing so. Still, he adds, "it's refreshing and provocative and poses a hypothesis that deserves further research." Or as the Daily Skimm puts it: "So don't roll your eyes the next time Grandma sends you an Insta reel about bathing your cat."