Life in the digital age has changed the way we write. Handwritten letters have given way to text messages, and Generation Z is growing up without a strong need to write by hand. Alongside this trend, some users rely on artificial intelligence for writing, while numerous studies show that using AI can lead to mental fatigue and weaken cognitive skills.
What does the brain do when writing?
A study in the journal Frontiers in Psychology examined how handwriting and typing on a keyboard affect the brain. Researchers recorded participants' brain activity with electroencephalography (EEG) while they performed writing tasks. The research was conducted at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and its results indicate that handwriting engages more brain regions, improves brain connectivity, and strengthens neural pathways.
Details of the experiment
In this study, 40 university students participated and high-quality data from 36 of them were analyzed. A 256-sensor EEG cap was placed on each participant's head. The first task was writing words with a digital pen and the second task was typing the same kinds of words on a keyboard.
When writing by hand, brain activity was greater in parietal and central regions, and theta and alpha waves were also stronger. Theta waves (around 3.5 to 7.5 Hz) are associated with working memory and processing new information, and alpha waves (around 8 to 12.5 Hz) are linked to long-term memory and attention.
Researchers attribute this difference to the complexity of handwriting. In handwriting, the brain must recall the shape of the letter, coordinate hand and wrist movements, control the pen, and evaluate the outcome. In typing, only pressing a key and confirming the result on the screen is required. The Norwegian team had previously shown in a study with 20 students that drawing by hand produces more brain activity than typing.
A digital pen is enough
Interestingly, participants used a digital pen. That means writing on physical paper is not necessarily what is beneficial; what matters is the fine, coordinated movement of the hand. However, digital tools overall can pose risks to brain health. Some studies have even shown that disconnecting a smartphone from the internet and avoiding endless browsing can reverse brain aging by years.
Another study along the same lines
An article in a Nordic journal also addressed handwriting skills in the digital age. The article notes that classrooms increasingly rely on digital learning and technology, and the authors are concerned about the loss of handwriting skills and the brain activity associated with them. According to them, the importance of handwriting is not limited to preserving a single skill and also encompasses spelling and reading-two essential abilities for everyday communication.
This issue is interesting given trends in schools. What was necessary for remote education during the pandemic has now become the default in classrooms. In contrast, some teachers are calling for the return of pencil and paper to schools, and scientific findings support this demand.
Researchers' recommendations
According to the article published in Frontiers in Psychology, its authors, Ruud van der Weel and Audrey van der Meer, emphasize the implications of these findings for the classroom. If you want your brain to remain healthy and active throughout life, write more by hand and use screens less. Research also reports a positive effect of vitamin D on brain health; therefore spending more time outdoors in sunlight, in addition to taking breaks from digital devices, can contribute to mental well-being.