THEn an age in which technology runs faster than our ability to adapt, the health of our brain is increasingly at stake on a double front: the external one of digital innovations and the internal one of our biology. In fact, while we delegate pieces of our intelligence to increasingly sophisticated algorithms, science discovers that our brain has reserves of renewal that we thought were lost after youth. Between these two worlds, however, there is a very profound connection: to grow old with a brilliant mind, genetic predisposition is not enough, but an environment is needed that does not wear out its balancesuch as stress and anxiety caused by the use of artificial intelligence.
Between AI anxiety and the biological secrets of the brain
To carry out an investigation with the aim of investigating precisely the relationship between brain health and the use of artificial intelligenceit was the Brain&Care Groupa healthcare organization specializing in the treatment and promotion of mental health, on the occasion of the Brain Week 2026which begins today, March 16th and continues until the 22nd. And the picture that has emerged is decidedly interesting.
AI, but how much do we use it?
Analyzing a sample of people between 18 and 70 years old, it was seen that there is a massive but cautious diffusion of AI: 38.7% of those interviewed say they use it often or very oftenWhile 25.6% use it occasionally. The purposes are mainly practical: 70.3% use these tools in the workplace or at school. Research on symptoms and diseases follows8.3%, translations 6.9%, purchasing advice 4.8% and cooking recipes 3.4%. Only a small part, 1.4%, relies on AI for suggestions on romantic relationships or friendships.
The “neuron factory” against algorithm anxiety: the secret of super agers. (Getty Images)
Undecided between opportunity and stress
There is an important fact, however, that the survey highlights: although daily use causes 21% of users the perception that one’s mind is “lighter” thanks to this supportone in two people fears that AI could increase anxiety and stress levels. This happens because use in delicate contexts, such as aesthetic or relational ones, could reinforce unrealistic models and standards that are difficult to reach, with negative repercussions on mental well-being.
A possible solution: limits
Faced with these risks, the investigation does not stop at the complaint, but it reveals a strong demand for rules and awareness. The interviewees, in fact, identified four pillars to safeguard the well-being of the brain. The first thing is the age of entryor limit use to adults or, for minors, allow it only under adult supervision.
It also emerged the need to put a brake on the time of useso that AI remains a support and not a constant reference in daily life. Even if it is used with one maximum caution in the medical-health and relational sectors to avoid distorting reality. Finally, the crucial importance of checking the reliability of information, remembering that AI cannot replace the professionalism of an expert.
AI on the one hand and biological recovery: the secret of super agers
Therefore, while technology questions us about our psychological stability, biology for its part surprises us with its latent potential. For almost a century, medicine followed the dogma that nerve cells could not regenerate after birth. Today, research published in the scientific journal Nature turns this perspective on its head by focusing on super agersindividuals who at 80 years of age boast cognitive performance comparable to that of middle-aged adults.
A hidden factory of neurons in the brain
To understand how they do it, researchers they used a sort of “super genetic microscope” which allows you to look inside each individual cell to see what instructions it is following. Thanks to this meticulous analysis, they discovered that in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that manages the memories of super agers, new neurons are continually being born, just like in young people. Not only that: these “special” elderly people also have a thicker cerebral cortex in the areas needed to make decisions and stay focused. This is a remarkable discovery that opens an interesting door to the future: if, in fact, we understand how to activate these “switches”, it will be possible to develop drugs capable of stimulating the birth of new neurons and strengthen memory circuits even in those who are ill.
Towards a new ecology of the mind
The thread that unites the Brain&Care investigation to the findings published by Nature is quite clear: Brain health is a balance between what happens outside of us and what happens inside. As explained by Gabriele Zanardi, head of the Psychology and Neuroscience Area of Brain&Care Milano, «taking care of the mind is a duty towards ourselves. And to protect our neuron factory and allow it to function like that of a super agerwe must learn to manage artificial intelligence without becoming its slaves.” In fact, understanding how to keep the brain young and how to use technology with balance, it is the most important challenge to live not only longer, but with a mind always ready to renew itself.