Facebook keeps brain sharp
If you want to keep your brain sharp in old age, join social networking site Facebook, American researchers claim. Scientists from the University of Arizona found people aged over 65 years who use Facebook reportedly performed better in cognitive tests than those who simply ‘surfed’ the internet or didn’t use it at all.
If you want to keep your brain sharp in old age, join social networking site Facebook, American researchers claim.
Scientists from the University of Arizona found people aged over 65 years who use Facebook reportedly performed better in cognitive tests than those who simply ‘surfed’ the internet or didn’t use it at all.
The Daily Mail reported the ever-changing nature of the site – like constantly new updates – may actually boost mental acuity.
Researchers reported adults who used the site performed about 25% better on tasks designed to measure their ability to continuously monitor and quickly add or delete the contents of their working memory – a function, researchers called ‘updating’.
For the study, 14 adults aged between 68 and 91 years who had either never used the site or used it less than once a month, were set up on Facebook and were instructed to make ‘friends’’ with those in their training group.
They were then asked to post on the site at least once a day. A second group were taught to use online diary site, Penzu.com, where entries are kept private. Participants first completed a series of tests assessing their levels of loneliness and social support, as well as their cognitive abilities.
Assessments were conducted again at the end of the study, two months later.
Final results revealed those who had learned to use Facebook functioned better than they did at the start of the study on tasks designed to measure their mental updating abilities. Participants using Penzu.com saw no significant change in their performance.
DPS News is now on Facebook. ‘Like’ our page for more aged and community care information.
