Dementia is typically a disease that affects the elderly. But doctors are starting to talk about a new type of cognitive condition affecting younger individuals. They call it “digital dementia.” It results, they say, from the overuse of digital technology, such as smart phones and computers. Brain function deteriorates because of digital overuse.

The left side of the brain is generally associated with rational thought (numbers, and facts). The right side is responsible for creative skills and emotional thought. If the right side is underdeveloped over a long period, dementia develops.

The phenomenon of “digit3al dementia” was first noticed in South Korea. That should not be surprising, since that country has such a large population of Internet users. It also is one of the most digital nations in the world and a place where Internet addiction was identified as far back as the late 1990s.

A doctor at the Balance Brain Centre in Seoul explained: “overuse of smartphones and game devices hampers the balanced development of the brain.” Heavy users of digital technology are more likely to develop the left side of their brains. This leaves the right side untapped and underdeveloped. This affects attention and memory span, which could lead to early onset of dementia in a percentage of the cases. They also found that children were more at risk than adults were because the brains of children were still developing.

The Korean findings come after a study, done at UCLA, found that young people were increasingly suffering from memory problems. A percentage of young men and women complained that their memory was poor.

These initial studies are one more reason why parents need to monitor the digital world of their children. Digital dementia is just one of many reasons we need to protect children from the digital media storm.