Don't take no for an answer. It's vital. Older people can boost their brain activity by performing simple online searches, according to a study that suggests the web could be used in the fight against mental decline.
Researchers in California have discovered that internet searches are more effective than reading at improving brain function. It seems that ‘Googling' is particularly beneficial because it involves a number of simultaneous mental processes, including memory - of the original search term - and the comprehension and analysis of the results. The researchers say that searching online is a simple form of brain exercise that can be employed to enhance cognition in older adults. As part of the study, 24 people between the ages of 55 and 78 were asked to carry out a series of online searches while having the flow of blood around their brains monitored by a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. They underwent the same test a fortnight later, having followed a regime of online searching at home.
The results showed that the function improvements detected in the initial scans - in the parts of the brain controlling language, reading, memory and vision - had definitely moved to other areas of the brain responsible for memory and decision making.
