多玩手机,老了不易患 “数字痴呆” | Newsweek
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一项全新的全面分析显示，经常使用数字技术的老年人认知能力下降的速度可能更慢，这一结论挑战了长期以来人们对所谓 “数字痴呆” 的担忧。该研究发表在《自然・人类行为》杂志上，回顾了 57 项涉及全球超过 41.1 万名成年人的研究，参与者平均年龄近 69 岁。
得克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校和贝勒大学的研究人员发现，持续使用智能手机、电脑和互联网等技术，与 50 岁以上人群认知障碍风险降低相关。这一发现正值数字设备近乎普及的时代，皮尤研究中心的数据显示，如今 98% 的美国人拥有某种手机，91% 拥有智能手机，而 2011 年这一比例仅为 35% 。这些发现似乎与 “日常使用技术会削弱认知能力” 的普遍观点相悖，反而表明它可能有助于在晚年保护大脑健康。
英国阿尔茨海默病研究中心临床研究负责人莉亚・穆尔萨林博士表示，这项大规模分析回顾了 50 多项来自世界各地的已发表研究，试图解开数字技术使用与认知能力之间的联系。该研究挑战了此前认为数字技术会随着年龄增长降低认知功能的研究，表明技术的使用可能与老年人认知能力下降速度降低有关。约三分之二的美国人在平均 70 岁时会经历一定程度的认知能力下降。2020 年的研究显示，女性患痴呆症的终生风险为 37%，男性为 24%，女性平均发病年龄为 83 岁，男性为 79 岁。
穆尔萨林补充道，虽然看到使用数字工具可能与晚年更好的大脑健康相关令人鼓舞，但该分析未包括对大脑物理变化的测量，也未考虑人们首次接触数字技术的年龄。研究的领导者贾里德・本格和迈克尔・斯卡林在控制了年龄、教育、收入、健康和其他生活方式等变量后，研究结果依然成立。此外，纵向研究也表明，经常使用技术的人认知能力下降风险更低。未参与该研究的英国利物浦约翰摩尔大学心理学高级讲师大卫・布鲁诺博士认为，研究控制了很多变量，结果很有前景，但认知韧性很多可能由基因决定，这也可能使人更易使用技术。
虽然该研究未解释数字技术保护认知的方式和原因，但作者推测其可能支持记忆、组织和社交活动，不过还需要更多研究来更好地理解数字参与和长期认知健康之间的关系。随着第一代终生使用技术的人步入老年，这些发现为担心屏幕导致认知下降的观点提供了反面论据，并指出了保持数字连接的潜在益处。
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【Para.1】Older adults who frequently use digital technology may experience slower rates of cognitive decline, according to a sweeping new analysis that challenges long-standing concerns about so-called "digital dementia."
【Para.2】The study, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, reviewed 57 studies involving more than 411,000 adults across the globe, with an average participant age of nearly 69.
【Para.3】Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, Baylor University found that consistent use of technology—such as smartphones, computers and the internet—was linked to a reduced risk of cognitive impairment in people over 50.
【Para.4】The findings come at a time when digital devices have become nearly ubiquitous: according to the Pew Research Center, 98 percent of Americans now own a cellphone of some kind, and 91 percent own a smartphone—up from just 35 percent in 2011.
【Para.5】These findings appear to contradict the popular idea that everyday use of technology weakens cognitive ability. Instead, they suggest it might help preserve brain health later in life.
【Para.6】"This large-scale analysis reviewed over 50 published studies from around the world to try to unravel the link between use of digital tech and cognitive ability," said Dr. Leah Mursaleen, the head of clinical research at Alzheimer's Research UK.
【Para.7】"This study challenges previous research that has suggested digital technology could reduce cognitive function as we age and instead suggests that use of technology may be linked to lower rates of cognitive decline in older adults.”
【Para.8】Around two-thirds of Americans experience some degree of cognitive decline by the average age of 70. According to 2020 research, the lifetime risk of developing dementia is 37 percent for women and 24 percent for men, with the average age of onset being 83 for women and 79 for men.
【Para.9】Mursaleen added: "With technology now embedded in our daily lives, it's encouraging to see that using digital tools like computers, smart phones and the internet could be linked to better brain health in later life. However, it's important to note that this analysis could not include measures of physical changes happening in the brain or consider the age that people were first exposed to digital tech.
【Para.10】"Although the authors explore possible reasons as to why the use of digital tech may promote better cognitive function, more research is needed to understand the relationship further especially in people who are the first generation to grow up with these advances".
【Para.11】The analysis was led by Jared Benge and Michael Scullin, who examined studies that included either a cognitive diagnosis or formal testing. Their findings held even after controlling for variables such as age, education, income, health, and other lifestyle factors.
【Para.12】Importantly, they also found consistent results in longitudinal studies, which tracked participants over time—on average for more than six years—suggesting a lower risk of cognitive decline among frequent tech users.
【Para.13】Dr. Davide Bruno, reader in psychology at Liverpool John Moores University in the U.K. who was not involved in the study said: "A lot of variables are controlled for in this study, and the results are promising, but a lot of our cognitive resilience may well be genetically determined, which could also lead to greater ease with using technology.
【Para.14】"The authors do an excellent job of pointing out the limits of their study and acknowledging that there is more work to do. For example, what type of digital activities are better for our brain? This is a well-done study tackling a timely issue. The authors are careful in their conclusions."
【Para.15】While the study does not explain how or why digital technology might protect cognition, the authors speculate that it could support memory, organization and social engagement—behaviors known to maintain brain function. They emphasize that more research is needed to better understand the relationship between digital engagement and long-term cognitive health.
【Para.16】As the first generation of lifelong tech users enters older age, these findings offer a counter-narrative to fears of screen-induced decline—and point instead to the potential benefits of staying connected.
【声明】：本文原文摘选自 Newsweek，原文版权归杂志所有，仅供个人学习交流使用。
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