Sharing at least five years with a companion animal, such as a dog or a cat, could delay cognitive decline in older people. This is the conclusion reached in a preliminary study carried out by a team from the University of Michigan.
“Previous studies have suggested that the human-animal bond may have health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and stress,” said study author Tiffany Braley, of the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor and a member from the American Academy of Neurology.”Our results suggest that owning a pet may also protect against cognitive decline.”
The study analyzed the cognitive data of 1,369 people with a mean age of 65 years. Their cognitive abilities were normal at the start of the investigation. 53% of participants owned pets, and 32% were long-term pet owners, meaning five years or more. Additionally, 88% were White, 7% Black, 2% Hispanic, and 3% other ethnicity or race.
The data used in the research came from the Health and Retirement Study, a large study of beneficiaries of Medicare, an American federal health insurance program. In that study, multiple cognitive tests were performed. The researchers used those cognitive tests to develop a composite cognitive score for each person, ranging from zero to 27. The composite score included common tests of subtraction, number counting, and word recall. The researchers then used the participants’ composite cognitive scores and calculated the relationship between years of pet ownership and cognitive function.
What was seen is that over six years, cognitive scores declined more slowly in people who owned pets. The difference was even greater among those participants who had shared their lives for a longer time with the animals. Taking into account other factors known to affect cognitive function, the study showed that long-term pet owners had, on average, a 1.2 point higher composite cognitive score at six years compared with They didn’t have pets. The researchers also found that the cognitive benefits associated with longer pet ownership were greater for black adults, those with a college education, and men. Braley says that possible reasons for these associations need to be further investigated.
“Since stress can negatively affect cognitive function, the possible stress-buffering effects of companion animal ownership could be a plausible reason for our results,” says Braley. “A companion animal can also increase activity physical, which could benefit cognitive health. That said, more research is needed to confirm our results and identify the underlying mechanisms of this association .”
A limitation of the study was that duration of pet ownership was assessed at only one point in time, so no information on continuous pet ownership was available.
The study will be presented at the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology to be held in person in Seattle, April 2-7, 2022, and virtually April 24-26, 2022.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the National Institute on Aging.
Pets improve heart health
Many of us are aware that a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and eating a healthy diet are key to reducing risk factors for heart disease. But did you know that a pet can also protect your heart? A 2013 study published by the American Heart Association concluded that owning a pet, particularly a dog, could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Pet owners tend to have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, and are less likely to be obese.
Referencia: American Academy of Neurology. Do pets have a positive effect on your brain health?
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