Digital Dementia: Is Your Phone Damaging Your Brain?

Is “digital dementia” real - or is technology more complicated than the headlines suggest? In this Part 1 conversation, Dr. Khushboo Verma speaks with Dr. Jared F. Benge, PhD, ABPP, a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Benge is also part of UT Health Austin’s Comprehensive Memory Center within the Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences. We discuss what terms like “digital dementia” and “brain rot” really mean, whether technology is hurting or helping our memory, and how digital tools may affect attention, cognitive reserve, social connection, and independence. We also talk about Dr. Benge’s work on technology and cognitive aging, including the idea of “technological reserve” and the future of digital biomarkers — how everyday phone use, typing patterns, walking patterns, and app behavior may one day help detect early cognitive changes. Chapters: 01:46 What we will cover in the video? 06:02 What does “digital dementia” really mean? 08:53 Downsides of technology: The 3 D’s: disuse, distractibility, and distancing 10:20 Advantages of technology: The 3 C's 14:08 Dr. Benge’s meta-analysis on technology and cognitive aging 16:36 A bidirectional relationship: technology use and cognitive status 18:52 What is cognitive reserve? 22:50 Digital biomarkers: typing, walking, phone use, and cognition 27:01 What is coming in Part 2? Medical Disclaimer: This video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Please do not use this video to diagnose or treat yourself or a loved one. If you have concerns about memory, thinking, mood, sleep, medications, or neurological symptoms, please speak with your physician or a qualified health care professional. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number. #DigitalDementia #BrainHealth #Dementia #Alzheimers #CognitiveHealth #MemoryLoss #TechnologyAndBrain #BrainRot #Neuropsychology #DigitalBiomarkers #MildCognitiveImpairment #CognitiveReserve #HealthyAging #DementiaCare #TheDementiaDoctor