Helpful or Harmful? New Study Looks at the Impact of Technology Use on Cognition

Smartphones and technology are ubiquitous in nearly every aspect of our lives, but is technology helping or hurting us when it comes to memory and cognition? Dr. Jared Benge, neuropsychologist and associate professor from the University of Texas at Austin, joins the podcast to discuss his research into how technology and smartphone use impacts the brain, how digital technology can be used to help individuals with cognitive impairment and what his findings mean for the future. Guest: Jared Benge, PhD, ABPP, clinical neuropsychologist, Comprehensive Memory Center, UT Health Austin, associate professor, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin Show Notes Read Dr. Benge’s article, “A meta-analysis of technology use and cognitive aging,” on the journal Nature’s website. Learn more about Dr. Benge at his profile on UT Health Austin’s website. Read Dr. Benge’s study on the use of smartphone technology to improve prospective memory functioning at the Journal of American Geriatrics Society. Dementia Matters is nominated for the 2025 Podcast Awards in the Science and Medicine and People’s Choice categories. Register and vote online before July 31 to support our podcast. Connect with us Find transcripts and more at our website. Email Dementia Matters: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s e-newsletter. Enjoy Dementia Matters? Consider making a gift to the Dementia Matters fund through the UW Initiative to End Alzheimer’s. All donations go toward outreach and production.