Lesser smartphone use and more brain exercises may help reduce dementia

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People can reduce their risk of age-related dementia by exercising their brains through simple daily habits instead of just relying on smartphones and Googling, according to a report on Monday.

Professor Mohamed I. Elmasry, a professor at the University of Waterloo, in his new book titled iMind: Artificial and Real Intelligence, emphasises nurturing real intelligence over artificial intelligence (AI), saying that the focus has shifted from the former to the latter and it can have far-reaching, debilitating consequences.

He says in iMind that "none comes close to duplicating the capacity, storage, longevity, energy efficiency, or self-healing capabilities of the original human brain-mind. The useful life expectancy for current smartphones is around 10 years, while a healthy brain-mind inside a healthy human body can live for 100 years or longer".

Smart devices, while increasingly advanced, cannot duplicate the human brain's storage, longevity, or self-healing abilities. The book is inspired by his personal losses to dementia.

He contrasts the brain's long-lasting power with the limited lifespan of smartphones, noting that a healthy brain can last over 100 years if nurtured.

Daily brain exercises like memory workouts, developing an associative memory, moderating alcohol, using rest days and regular naps help enhance brain health.

Elmasry feels healthy aging is a critical but underpublicised issue compared to climate change.

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