Owning a pet slows brain decline in people over 51, according to a study published in the journal. Scientific Reports.
Data from 637 BLSA study participants aged 51 to 101 (mean age 75) were used in the analysis. They were followed from one year to 13 years. While people over the age of 80 were taking intelligence tests every year, young people were taking the test every four years. 29% of participants had a cat, dog, or other pet.
Mental functions declined with age in all subjects without exception, but at a much slower rate among pet owners, even after other factors were taken into account.
“Memory, executive function, language, psychomotor abilities, and processing speed were less impaired over ten years in participants who kept pets,” the scientists reported.
But cat owners retained less memory and speech functions. The protective effect was most pronounced in those walking their dogs.
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