As humans begin to age, their brains start to shrink and experience reductions in cell activity. For a long time, activities such as cross-word puzzles, and (in Chinese culture) mah jong, were considered practices that can help keep the brain active and counter-act the age related slow downs of the brain. Now, according to a study in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, surfing the Web can also be added to such activities.

The UCLA  research team found that while activities like reading books produced significant activity in regions of the brain controlling language, reading, memory and visual abilities… web search task produced significant additional activity in separate areas of the brain controlling decision-making and complex reasoning (only in experienced web users).

Left: Brain activity while reading a book (experienced web surfer)

Right:Brain activity while surfing the web (experienced web surfer)

Lead researcher and study author Dr. Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center of Aging notes, “Just a simple, everyday computer task seems to be activating neural circuits… It’s possible that this is something that strengthens our brains as we do it.”

Now this research is focused around surfing the Web, but I wonder if activities using Web 2.0 tools such as social networking or even tagging and signing up for RSS feeds would have similar benefits while, at the same time, offering a more interactive medium.

I know sitting in front of a computer all day surfing the web or playing video games isn’t ‘good for you’,  but at least for middle aged and older individuals, sitting in front of a computer has its benefits.

For further information on this study please see these related BBC and Yahoo! articles.