Sometimes what’s good for your heart is good for your brain. A recent study of American adults over 50 found that those who had pets for more than five years scored better on cognitive memory tests than those who lived without non-talkative friends.
Findings from the University of Michigan suggest that the “pet effect” may protect more than just our gut and heart health. It could also play a role in our brains, writes Playtech.
How pets affect our brains
The results are based on a nationally representative survey from 2010 to 2016 that, among other questions, asked more than 20,000 adults over the age of 50 about their company status. Using these findings years later, the researchers showed that those who checked the pet box showed interesting differences in their cognitive scores over the six-year testing period.
The effect was only evident in participants over the age of 65, usually when symptoms of dementia begin to appear. If a person in this age group owned a pet for more than five years, the researchers found that their short-term and long-term memory for words was much better than those who did not have a pet but were of a similar age.
Each time the participants were tested over the six-year period, those with pets showed better scores, even though they inevitably aged.
The findings are only an association, not clear evidence that the “company effect” really exists. It could be, for example, that people with better cognitive function are more likely to maintain longer companionship with pets later in life.
