Searching the Internet may help middle-aged and older adults keep their memories sharp.
By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading Room
Editor
This should be of great interest to the millions of baby boomers and their children who are facing the possibility of Alzheimer's disease in their future.
This suggests that just searching on the Internet may train the brain -- that it may keep it active and healthy," said Small, whose research appears in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging scans to record brain activity while people were searching the Internet.
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The researchers found that the visual cortex -- the part of the brain that controls reading and language -- was activated while doing the internet searches. Here is an important finding of the study -- there was much greater brain activity in the Internet savvy group. Those who actively use the Internet.
Small said it appears that people who are familiar with the Internet can engage in a much deeper level of brain activity.
Researchers found that the brains of the Web-savvy group reflected about twice as much activity compared to the brains of those who were not Web-savvy.Think this is wacky research? Dr. Small gives us a glimpse into the future based on his ongoing research:
"A simple, everyday task like searching the Web appears to enhance brain circuitry in older adults," Small said, "demonstrating that our brains are sensitive and can continue to learn as we grow older."
According to Small, in the future, brain aging may be controlled similarly to high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Patients would receive a brain scan and perhaps a genetic test to predict their risk. Medications and other interventions could be prescribed, if necessary, to prevent or delay future neurodegeneration, allowing doctors to protect a healthy brain before extensive damage occurs. The brain scans may also prove helpful in tracking the effectiveness of treatments.This kind of thinking really gets my attention. The possibility of trying to protect the brain from degenerating in much the same way as we protect the heart with drugs that lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
My suggestion to you if you are worried about Alzheimer's -- start using Google to do sophisticated Internet searches. There is an upside to this activity, you might discover all kinds of useful information that improves your life, or makes you more interesting to others.
Still skeptical. Look at it this way -- it can't hurt, it might help, and it might make the difference in warding off Alzheimer's until we reach the point where there are some good treatments available beyond the combination of Aricept and Nameneda.
Search using Google.
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Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading RoomBob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for news, advice, and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob has written more than 800 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.
