A new study published in Scientific Reports shows that raising cats or dogs not only provides companionship but also helps slow down the cognitive decline process in people aged 50 and over.
The study used data from the European Health, Aging and Retirement Survey (SHARE), which spans 18 years, with about 16,500 people aged 50 to 99. The results showed:
Cat owners maintain fluent speech and memory for longer.
Dog owners lose memory more slowly in both short-term and long-term.
No similar benefits were found in bird or fish farmers.
This shows that pets and the nature of interaction are very important, emphasizing that pet raising can be a lifestyle factor that supports healthy cognitive aging, says Dr. Mohamad Koubeissi, Chairman of the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine at George Washington University.
Notably, pet owners who start with a lower memory score still have a slower rate of decline. Koubeissi believes that this is evidence of the protective effects of raising pets, even if the person has an initial cognitive disadvantage.
Why is raising cats or dogs good for the brain?
According to Dr. Nicholas Streicher, a neurologist at Med Star Hospital Center Washington, dogs often encourage their owners to increase physical activity and social interaction, while cats provide great emotional and stress-reducing benefits. Both of these factors help protect brain function.
Caring for pets also requires the ability to maintain habits, solve problems and interpret emotions, activities that stimulate the frontal cerebral cortex, where to control behavior, emotions, language and memory.
Small previous studies have shown that interaction with dogs and cats can stimulate nerve activity in this area, helping to maintain long-term brain health. sticking with pets also helps reduce loneliness, a major risk factor for cognitive decline.
Not all pets bring benefits
People who raise birds or fish do not achieve the same results, possibly due to less emotional interaction and attachment. also requires little exercise or complex care routines, causing cognitive stimulation to be lower than necessary to create a measurable effect.
Raising cats or dogs can be a way to support brain health, especially when maintaining regular and quality interaction with pets. If you want to make the most of the benefits, consider pet care as part of an active lifestyle, both nurturing mental health and maintaining memory as you age.
