The Internet has so far proven its benefits regarding the sharing and spreading information, improving communication, extending socialization beyond physical and cultural borders and has also been an asset to the educational system. Its importance in the medical world has been undeniable, whether its quick access to the patients’ medical files or the ability to find the latest developments in certain treatments.

A recent study has shown that Internet browsing is beneficial to one’s brain, acting as a stimulant for the brain. In a nutshell, middle-aged people and the elderly benefit from an extra brain stimulant when Googling, and the effect of the stimulation is enhanced brain performance. The stimulants “awake” the brain’s centers used for decision-making and complex reasoning.

The reason why the brain’s function starts to shrink in efficiency and speed is – most commonly – aging. Atrophy is one of the main causes, accompanied by the increasing deposits of amyloidal plaques, for instance. The brain’s cognitive function is thus starting to deteriorate. The study’s conclusions encourage people to take advantage of current technology, which have been proven to have not only effects on the psyche, but also affect one physiologically.

The regions stimulated by web browsing are similar to those stirred by reading books (language, memory, visual abilities areas), all found in different parts of the brain, such as the temporal lobe, parietal or occipital. Nonetheless, browsing the Internet also showed increased activity in the frontal lobe and cingulated brain areas. This activity is, consequently, “responsible” for improving the brain’s functionality in adults and the elderly. The effects also show that the learning process never stops, irrespective of age.