Reading vs. Internet for stimulating middle-aged brain?

Scientists discovered that searching the world wide web exercised the mind far more than reading and was similar to completing crosswords and puzzles.

Brain scans showed that going online stimulated larger parts of the brain than the relatively passive activity of reading a novel or nonfiction book. It was so stimulating that the authors of the study believe it could actually help people maintain healthier brains into their old age.

The study results are encouraging, that emerging computerised technologies may have physiological effects and potential benefits for middle-aged and older adults," said principal investigator Gary Small, a professor at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at University of California. Read more about the study in The Telegraph online.