Digital Dementia- Should You be Concerned?
A new hypothesis called “Digital Dementia” suggests that forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and decreased ability to focus are symptoms of technology overexposure. Traditionally, the medical use of the term “dementia” describes a decline in a person’s ability to think due to changes in areas of the brain responsible for memory, language, and reasoning. Is it possible that technology may induce these changes in healthy adults and children, or is the term “digital dementia” unfairly placing blame on technology for cognitive downfall in the 21st century? The answer may lie in how a person engages with technology- and there are ways to improve this relationship to protect brain health.
According to the Pew Research Center, 91% of Americans own a smartphone and over 50% of those smartphone owners say they spend too much time on their smartphone. Around 25% of adults report almost constant smartphone use and another 60% state that they use the device several times a day, highlighting a dependent relationship on the device for work, play, and connectivity. However, 45% of US adults report trying to cut back on smartphone use within the past 12 months which indicates a self-awareness of this dependency and a desire to reclaim time spent in the screen world. The time reclaimed likely falls under the categories termed by pop-culture as “doom scrolling” or “brain rot”- time spent on a device passively absorbing media and content without highly meaningful application or engagement.
Passive behaviors, such as watching television, have been medically linked to higher rates of cognitive decline, where cognitively active behaviors such as actively navigating a computer have been indicated to foster cognitive resilience in adults. Michael Scullin, Ph.D. and Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor emphasizes the benefits of healthy screen use in adults and that if “you’re really engaging with it, even though you might experience frustration, that might be a sign of exercising your brain”.
Healthy screen use has time limits, is engaging, and requires a level of navigation and decision making. On the contrary, unhealthy screen use is excessive and passive with little mental stimulation. Over time, smart phone use can become a learned dependency as information is consistently outsourced onto a device with little incentive for people to memorize or exercise problem solving. Additionally, the constant informational bombardment offered by technology makes it difficult to retain information- and offers little reason for people to do so.
It is challenging to predict the long term cognitive effects of heavy passive use of technology given that several platforms are relatively young- Facebook was launched in 2004, and Tik Tok, a popular social media platform among youth, was launched in 2016- but there are current efforts alleging that some of the companies behind screen time overuse designed addictive algorithms to keep people on their apps, and consequently devices, with the end result being substantial mental and emotional harm.
A 2026 lawsuit brought forth by numerous attorneys general stated that Meta, the company that owns and operates several social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, designed their apps to be addictive and that they failed to protect their youngest users from this, leading to higher rates of anxiety and depression in youth. Children are particularly vulnerable to excessive screen time use because of their developing decision making skills and lack of self control. Consequently, it is the same excessive screen time use that can stunt language acquisition, executive functioning skills, and brain development in childhood, ultimately contributing to later cognitive decline and potentially increasing the risk of dementia in adulthood.
Children benefit from activities that help build neuronal pathways and improve brain function such as face-to-face interaction, decision making, exploration, and solving mental challenges. Adults find benefits from similar brain building activities, but with a fully developed body and mind their efforts may be best directed towards maintaining and protecting brain health.
To reduce the negative impacts of passive technology use consider
Lifting weights or walking on a treadmill while watching TV. Exercise is a protective factor for the brain.
Place screen-time limits or set a timer while scrolling social media
Pick up a hobby to replace time occupied by passive technology use
Talk to your kids about appropriate technology use and model a healthy relationship with it.
While the term “digital dementia” remains a hypothesis with supportive evidence for cognitive decline in technology overuse, it is important to note that the documented effects of technology and the brain can be both positive and negative. How users engage with technology can shape their decision making, ability to retain information, concentrate, and focus.
References
Bishop, William, et al. “About Half of Americans Say They Spend Too Much Time on Their Phone. Some Are Trying to Cut Back.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 1 Sept. 2026, www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/ https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/09/01/about-half-of-americans-say-they-spend-too-much-time-on-their-smartphone/.
“Digital Dementia: Does Technology Use by ‘digital Pioneers’ Correlate to Cognitive Decline?” Media and Public Relations | Baylor University, news.web.baylor.edu/news/story/2025/digital-dementia-does-technology-use-digital-pioneers-correlate-cognitive-decline. Accessed 14 Sept. 2026.
“Digital Dementia: How Screens and Digital Devices Impact Memory.” Neurology Center For Epilepsy & Seizures, 14 Aug. 2025, www.neurocenternj.com/blog/digital-dementia-how-screens-and-digital-devices-impact-memory/.
Lockett, Eleesha. “Digital Dementia: How Excess Screen Time Is Affecting Our Brains.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 2 Feb. 2024, www.healthline.com/health/parenting/digital-dementia#takeaway.
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