Pets can help people stay sharp as they age, new study finds. Here’s how
Your dog or cat might be better for your health than you realize, a new study found — especially as you get older.
The benefits of owning a pet have been touted by researchers for years. A companion animal has the potential to decrease anxiety and loneliness, improve heart health and combat allergies, studies have shown.
A pet might also be able to help older adults stay mentally sharp, according to a preliminary study that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 74th Annual Meeting in April.
“Prior studies have suggested that the human-animal bond may have health benefits like decreasing blood pressure and stress,” said study author Tiffany Braley in a news release. “Our results suggest pet ownership may also be protective against cognitive decline.”
“Cognitive decline” includes problems with memory, language, thinking and judgment, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Researchers from the study looked at the brain health of 1,369 older adults with an average age of 65, the news release said. Within the group, 53% of adults owned a pet and 32% had owned their pet for five years or longer.
Researchers tested the participants over six years and found that brain health decreased at a faster rate among people who didn’t have pets, according to the news release.
The people who owned pets for longer than five years had the slowest rate of mental decline and had an average brain health score that was 1.2 points higher than non-pet owners.
Researchers had a few theories for why this could be.
“As stress can negatively affect cognitive function, the potential stress-buffering effects of pet ownership could provide a plausible reason for our findings,” Braley said in a news release. “A companion animal can also increase physical activity, which could benefit cognitive health.”
Researchers also found that race, education status and gender might play a role in how pets can help maintain brain health. The study consisted of 88% white adults, 7% Black adults and 3% adults who were other races.
Participants who were Black, men, and had a college education benefited more from owning a pet for a long time, according to the study.
Limitations in the study included how often the length of pet ownership was assessed and the authors said more research is needed to identify how race, gender and other factors impact the connection between brain health and pets.
This story was originally published March 23, 2022 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Pets can help people stay sharp as they age, new study finds. Here’s how."
