New York: Engagement with digital technology was associated with a 58 percent reduced risk of cognitive impairment in people middle-aged and older, according to a study in the journal Nature Human Behavior.

Researchers conducted a systematic review of 57 studies to see whether exposure to technology has helped or harmed cognition among the first generation of adults with prolonged exposure to digital devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers. The studies involved more than 411,000 adults with an average age of 69.

The analysis revealed that technology could play a role in preserving brain function, not worsening it, said co-authors Jared Benge, a clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Texas at Austin's Dell Medical School, and Michael Scullin, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University.

"Among the possible reasons, according to the study, is that the challenge of using and adapting to evolving digital technology might provide the cognitive stimulation that maintains brain function," reported The Washington Post on Monday about the finding. "Another is that technology can make social interaction easier for some, a correlate of better cognitive functioning in older adults."

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