A study by City University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong found that internet use is linked to reduced depressive symptoms in adults aged 50 and older across 23 countries. The research, published in Nature Human Behaviour, analyzed data from six aging cohorts and revealed that frequent internet use correlates with better mental health outcomes. This association was consistent across various demographics and genetic risk categories, highlighting the potential of internet use as a tool for improving mental health in older populations.
Adolescent girls who spend more time on the internet at age 15 are more likely to experience increased generalized and social anxiety symptoms at age 17, according to a study. However, anxiety symptoms at age 15 do not predict higher internet use at age 17 for both boys and girls. The findings highlight the link between increased internet use during adolescence and the development of anxiety symptoms, particularly among girls. Understanding these dynamics can inform interventions aimed at reducing anxiety symptoms in adolescents and promoting healthier screen time habits.
A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests that moderate and regular internet use among older adults may be cognitively helpful and reduce the risk of developing dementia. Researchers followed dementia-free adults aged 50-65 for up to 17 years and found that regular internet users had a 1.54% risk of developing dementia, compared to a 10.45% risk for non-users. However, excessive internet use (more than two hours per day) was associated with an increased risk of dementia. Further research is needed to understand the complex relationship between internet use and dementia.
Older adults who regularly use the internet have approximately half the risk of developing dementia compared to non-regular users, according to a longitudinal study. The study analyzed data from over 18,000 participants aged 50 and over and found that the risk of dementia was significantly lower for those who used the internet between 6 minutes and 2 hours per day. The findings suggest that internet use can help extend the cognitively healthy lifespan and reduce the risk of dementia in older adults. However, the study has limitations, including the exclusion of individuals with early-onset dementia and the use of a dementia assessment that may not align with clinical diagnoses.
A longitudinal study in Canada found that girls who spent more time on the internet at ages 13 and 15 were more likely to experience depressive symptoms at ages 15 and 17, respectively. The study did not find the same association in boys. Depression is a significant mental health disorder that can have long-term effects on individuals, and adolescence is a critical period for mental health. The study highlights the need for further research on the relationship between internet use and depression, particularly among girls. However, the study's limitations include relying on self-reported internet use and focusing on a specific region and language group.
Regular internet use, but not overuse, in older adults is linked to a lower dementia risk, according to a study. The research found that regular internet use was associated with about a 50% reduction in dementia risk compared with their counterparts who did not use the internet regularly. Longer duration of regular internet use was associated with a reduced risk of dementia, although excessive daily internet usage appeared to adversely affect dementia risk. The study was published online in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Regular internet use among adults aged 50 to 64.9 may reduce the risk of dementia, according to a study by the School of Global Public Health at New York University. The study found that regular users experienced approximately half the risk of dementia than non-regular users. However, excessive use of the internet was associated with an increased risk of dementia in older adults. Engaging online can have social and emotional benefits as well, which is especially important for seniors who might be lonely and have limited mobility due to age or illness. The study supports the idea that online engagement can develop and maintain "cognitive reserve," which can compensate for brain aging and reduce the risk of dementia.
Regular internet use may reduce the risk of dementia among older people, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The eight-year study followed 18,154 adults aged 50 to 65 and found that those who spent time online were less likely to develop dementia. The reasons for this are unclear, but it may be due to the development and maintenance of cognitive reserve. However, the study cannot determine cause and effect, and more research is needed to determine whether too much time online can be harmful.
Regular internet use among older adults is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of developing dementia, according to a recent study. The study found a "sweet spot" for internet use of up to 2 hours a day, beyond which the risk of developing dementia is likely to increase. The beneficial effects of internet use depended on the degree to which people were online, presenting a U-curve of the data. Regular internet users had a 43% reduced risk of developing dementia compared with non-regular users. The study did not capture exactly what its subjects were doing online, which could affect the study's conclusions.
A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests that older adults who regularly use the internet are less likely to develop dementia. The study tracked 18,154 adults between the ages of 50 and 65 who did not have dementia when the study period began. Those who used the internet at the start of the study had about half the risk of dementia as people who were not regular users. The researchers noted that people who were online six to eight hours a day had a higher risk of dementia, but that finding wasn’t statistically significant, they said, and more research is needed.
