Underlying brain and genetic mechanisms linking historic phone use patterns, visual decline, and dementia risk in middle-aged and older adults

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate associations between historic phone use, visual decline, and risk of dementia, as well as underlying biological mechanisms. METHODS: A total of 494,359 participants from UK Biobank were included in the prospective study. Historic phone use, visual acuity, brain imaging, and leukocyte telomere lengths (LTLs) were assessed. Incident dementia was tracked via hospital episode records and mortality data. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 12.2 years, participants with better visual acuity were associated with longer use of mobile phone. Longer historic phone use was associated with a 31% lower risk of dementia. Both hippocampal gray matter volumes and LTLs were associated with historic phone use length and significantly mediated the relationship between historic phone use and dementia. Mediation still exists in participants with visual decline. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest mobile phone use may serve as a modifiable factor to prevent dementia, even in older adults with visual decline.