Regular internet use reduces the risk of dementia

New York: A new study suggests that regular use of the Internet may reduce the risk of dementia.

A study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that older adults who use the Internet regularly are less likely to develop dementia.

In the study, New York University researchers followed 18,154 people between the ages of 50 and 65 for about eight years.

These individuals were asked at the beginning of the study and at two-year intervals about their continued use of the Internet for sending e-mail, shopping or spending time.

People who answered yes were 50 percent less likely to be diagnosed with any type of dementia by the end of the study than those who said no.

According to scientists, the reason for this could be that the Internet stimulates the brain against damage.

In the past, it has been observed that older people use the internet less than younger people. But the rise in the use of smartphones means that more and more older people are now accessing the internet.

Each person participating in the study was asked whether or not they use the Internet on a regular basis to send or receive e-mail messages or for shopping or any other purpose. Those whose answer was yes were considered regular users, while those who answered no were classified as non-regular users.

No one had dementia at the start of the study, but by the end of the study, 1,183 people (about five percent) had developed dementia.

224 out of 10,333 people (1.5 percent) in the Internet user group developed dementia, while 959 out of 7,821 people (10.45 percent) in the other group developed the disease.