(October 2025) With digital technology central to daily life, an important question emerges: how does internet use relate to cognitive health in middle and older age? New research by Yuan and colleagues, published in npj Mental Health Research, spanning 108,000 adults across 32 countries provides intriguing evidence of a link.

A global perspective

The study drew on five major longitudinal ageing cohorts spanning 2010 to 2020: the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), Mexican Health and Ageing Study (MHAS), Health and Retirement Study (HRS) from the United States, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), and Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). SHARE's contribution was substantial, providing data from 53,040 participants across 113,266 observations spanning 2013 to 2020.

This multinational approach provided crucial diversity in sample populations, enabling researchers to identify universal effects while accounting for differences in internet infrastructure and cultural contexts. As one might imagine, there were striking variations in internet adoption worldwide: rates ranged from less than 8% among older adults in China to nearly 86% in Denmark, with Mexico at 40%, the United States at 52%, and England at 83%.

Memory, focus, and mental flexibility 

The findings were remarkably consistent across all cohorts: internet use was associated with improvements across multiple cognitive domains. The strongest effect was seen for memory, followed by executive function (the mental skills needed for planning, focus, and multitasking), and then space and time orientation. These effects even remained after accounting for demographic factors, health behaviours and existing health conditions. 

Intriguingly, the associations were notably stronger among vulnerable populations, for example rural dwellers and individuals with lower educational attainment. It could be that internet access is a way to help level the playing field by offering cognitive stimulation opportunities to those who might otherwise have limited access to such resources. 

Digital and social engagement: independently and jointly linked to cognition 

The study revealed an intriguing pattern: older adults who both used the internet and participated in social activities showed the strongest cognitive performance across all measures. However, each factor was independently associated with benefits: social participation correlated with better cognition among non-internet users, while internet use was linked to better function even among those who weren't socially active offline. 

These findings are consistent with multiple interpretations. Internet use and social participation may actively support cognitive health, but it's equally plausible that individuals with better cognitive function are more able and motivated to engage in these activities. The associations, while robust across all countries studied, don't tell us which came first. 

Why might internet use relate to cognitive function? 

Researchers propose two complementary mechanisms that likely work in tandem. 

The first draws on theories of neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to strengthen neural connections through repeated use). Internet activities such as online learning, information retrieval, and social interaction activate neural circuits controlling decision-making and complex reasoning. Like muscles responding to physical exercise, these circuits may strengthen with repeated activation, building cognitive resilience against age-related decline. 

The second mechanism centres on social connection and emotional wellbeing. By enabling older adults to stay connected across distances, internet platforms may reduce loneliness and generate positive emotions, which are both factors linked to better cognitive health.  

Tracking changes over time 

By following individuals across multiple years, researchers discovered that continuous internet users maintained better cognitive function than those who stopped using it, while those who never used the internet showed poorer cognitive performance.  

In post-industrial regions like the United States and Europe, even starting to use the internet later in life showed cognitive benefits (though this pattern was less clear in emerging economies, possibly due to differences in digital literacy support and internet quality). 

Important limitations 

While the findings are compelling, the study can't rule out reverse causation: that people with better cognitive function are simply more likely to adopt and continue using the internet, rather than internet use causing cognitive improvements. An experimental study would be needed to tease this apart.  

What does this mean for policy? 

These findings can't tell us whether encouraging internet use will protect cognitive health, or whether they simply show that people with healthier brains stay online longer. But several points are worth considering: 

• Little downside, possible upside: Teaching older adults digital skills and improving internet access carries little risk. Even if it doesn't protect cognition, it offers practical and social benefits. 

• Remove unnecessary barriers: Many older adults face obstacles to getting online that could be easily fixed. Making the internet more accessible has value regardless of any cognitive effects.

• Don't abandon what works: Social participation was also strongly linked to better cognition. Supporting community groups and offline activities remains important, especially for those who can't or don't want to go online. 

• We need experimental evidence: Randomised trials could determine whether providing internet access and training actually improves cognitive outcomes, or whether the associations reflect pre-existing differences in cognitive health.