Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36459914›Full record

ArticleArchives of gerontology and geriatrics2023

Technology use and subjective cognitive concerns in older adults.

Jared F Benge, Andrew M Kiselica, Alyssa Aguirre, Robin C Hilsabeck, Michael Douglas, David Paydarfar, Michael K Scullin

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Smartphone use in older adults with dementia.Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien · 2026
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  13. Surfacing Technology Routines While Studying Videoconferencing Among Older Adults with Cognitive Concerns.Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on human factors in computing systems. CHI Conference · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jared F BengeDepartment of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA; Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA. Electronic address: jared.benge@utexas.edu.
Andrew M KiselicaUniversity of Missouri, Columbia, MO USA.
Alyssa AguirreDepartment of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA; Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA; Steve Hick's School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX USA.
Robin C HilsabeckDepartment of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA; Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA.
Michael DouglasGeorgetown Neuroscience Foundation, Georgetown, TX USA.
David PaydarfarDepartment of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA; Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA.
Michael K ScullinDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco TX USA.

Funding

SCH: Digital Biomarker and Analytics for Cognitive Impairment with Mobile and Wearable SensingR01AG077017 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI THOMAZ, EDISON · 2022 to 2025
$1.1M
NIA NIH HHS R01 AG077017
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesHow technology impacts the day to day cognitive functioning of older adults is a matter of some debate. On the one hand, the use of technologies such as smartphones and social media, may lead to more subjective cognitive concerns (SCC) by promoting distractibility and reliance on devices to perform memory tasks. However, continued digital engagement in older adults may also be related to better cognitive functioning. Given these competing viewpoints, our study evaluated if frequency of digital device use was associated with greater or less subjective cognitive concerns.

methodParticipants were 219 adults over the age of 65 (mean age =75 years) who had internet access. Measures assessing frequency of digital device use along with SCC were administered. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to gage association between frequency of device use and SCC, controlling for relevant demographic and lifestyle factors.

resultsIncreased frequency of digital device use was associated with less SCC, over and above the influence of demographic factors, across cognitive (but especially in executive) domains. This effect was observed for general device usage, with no statistically significant associations were observed between texting/video call, social media use and SCC. DISCUSSION: Results were broadly consistent with the technological reserve hypothesis in that digital engagement was associated with better experienced cognitive functioning in older adults. While device use may contribute to distractibility in certain cases, the current results add to a burgeoning literature that digital engagement may be a protective factor for cognitive changes with age.

Indexed as

CognitionCognition DisordersAgedHumansLife StyleCognitionExecutive functioningInternetMemorySocial mediaText messaging

Identifiers

PMID36459914
PMCPMC9868079

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.