Illustration: Uday Deb

Scientists claim to have worked out why people in their late 40s and 50s have to get their children to load their iPods for them. The older you get the more difficult it is for your conscious mind to override years of “pre-programming”, they say. Combined with damaging physical changes in the cell structure of the brain — the result of natural ageing and, maybe, a little alcohol — the effects can be, at best, confusing.

The research may explain why even people in early middle age find it difficult to use an iPod, or surf on their BlackBerry, when their children take to new technology almost instinctively.

Lauren Potter, a lecturer in applied psychology at Heriot-Watt, and Madeleine Grealy, senior lecturer in psychology at Strathclyde, both in the UK, recruited two groups of 130 volunteers — one between the ages of 20 and 50 and the other over 60. They discovered that those in the upper age group found it increasingly hard to carry out daily tasks in new ways as did those aged 40 or above.

“The answer may be that older people are psychologically predisposed to find it harder than youngsters to override established ways of doing things,” said Grealy. “They will find it harder to adapt to digital TV, drive a new car with unfamiliar controls and use other modern tools and utensils.”

Potter believes certain actions, such as twisting rather than pulling or pushing taps, become deeply ingrained in the brain over time. When confronted with new devices or technology, the brain tries to adapt but is held back if there are physical changes in the frontal lobe area.

“The key for future work is to find out why this is the case for some but not other people as they get older. The results could be vital in not only promoting healthy ageing but in detecting precursors to severely debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s,” he said.

Finding new ways to help people age in an increasingly technological era is gaining in importance as the proportion of over-60s is expected to grow worldwide.

Elaine C. Smith, 49, a British comedy actress, said: “I think there is some truth in what the research is saying but there is a part of me, when confronted by things like new technology, that says: I just can’t be bothered.”