Get Granny on Gmail — computer and smartphone use lowers risk of brain decline by 42%

iPad? More like iPreserve. 

A new study found that older adults who regularly tap, scroll and surf their way through smartphones, computers and other digital devices are less likely to suffer from cognitive impairment.

The research casts doubt on the so-called “digital dementia hypothesis,” which suggests that too much screen time in our daily lives could speed up mental decline as we age.

The findings come at a time when American seniors are more plugged in than ever.

In a 2024 survey, the Pew Research Center found that a whopping 90% of US adults over the age of 65 are online. 

But it’s not just about browsing the web. AARP’s 2025 Tech Trends report shows that 91% of older adults own a smartphone, 78% have a smart TV and 62% use tablets.

For the meta-analysis, researchers sifted through 57 studies, involving more than 400,000 older adults from around the globe, to investigate the effects of tech on the brain. 

The participants, averaging about 69 years old, had either taken cognitive tests or been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

Researchers found that regular use of digital devices and the internet was associated with a 42% lower risk of cognitive impairment compared to those who used tech less frequently. 

“For the first generation that was exposed to digital tools, their use is associated with better cognitive functioning,” Dr. Jared Benge, a clinical neuropsychologist in UT Health Austin’s Comprehensive Memory Center, told The Guardian. 

“This is a more hopeful message than one might expect given concerns about brain rot, brain drain and digital dementia,” he continued. 

But don’t ditch those screen time limits just yet.

“Our findings are not a blanket endorsement of mindless scrolling,” Benge told CNN. “They are instead a hint that the generation that gave us the internet has found ways to get some net positive benefits from these tools to the brain.”

This idea may support the “cognitive reserve theory,” which suggests that engaging with technology could actually provide cognitive benefits. 

However, more research is needed to fully understand the connection. For instance, scientists still aren’t sure if tech use itself helps prevent mental decline, or if people with better cognitive abilities are simply more inclined to use digital devices.

There were also a few gaps in the research. For one, the study doesn’t specify how much time older adults spend using their devices. 

Experts not involved with the analysis told CNN that this raises questions about whether there’s a harmful threshold when it comes to screen time. 

Additionally, the study doesn’t explore how seniors are actually using technology, which could impact how it affects their cognitive health.

“Using digital devices in the way that we use televisions — passive and sedentary, both physically and mentally — is not likely to be beneficial,” Dr. Michael Scullin, a cognitive neuroscientist at Baylor University in Texas, told The Guardian. 

“But, our computers and smartphones also can be mentally stimulating, afford social connections, and provide compensation for cognitive abilities that are declining with aging.”

The study also focuses on the first generation to engage with digital tools, but it doesn’t fully address how future generations — who have grown up with technology — will be affected.

“When you think about the kind of technology that this cohort would’ve been interacting with earlier in their lives, it’s a time when you had to really work to use technology,” Dr. Christopher Anderson, a neurologist who wasn’t involved in the study, told CNN. 

Their brains were also already well formed, Benge added. 

Still, Anderson said the findings suggest a balanced approach to activities is the most beneficial.

“What this probably does more than anything else is provide some reassurance that there’s no association between at least moderate use of technology and cognitive decline,” he said.