Keep this in mind next time you’re inclined to scold your cat because it decided the litter box is more suggestion than law. That little mischievous critter might help keep your brain in good health.
Research has shown that pet ownership confers health benefits. Our pets help us reduce stress and lower our blood pressure. But evidence about a pet’s influence on our brain is scarce.
So, a few scientists in Michigan and Florida decided to have a looksie.
Their preliminary study tapped a database of Medicare recipients and identified more than 1,300 people with an average age of 65. Participants were given multiple cognitive tests and quizzed on their pet ownership.
Tracking participants for six years, researchers showed that pet ownership led to a slower decline of cognitive scores compared with those whose homes were pet-free. People who were long-term pet owners, defined as owning an animal for at least five years, experience the strongest cognitive benefit.
Scientists didn’t investigate why this occurred. But they offered a couple of educated guesses. Stress can harm brain health and lead to decline in cognitive function. And as anyone who has ever rubbed a cute pooch behind the ears knows, our dogs and cats or even our parrots, for that matter, help us relieve the pressures of daily life.
Indeed, the study showed pet owners enjoy lower blood pressure, echoing previous research.
Pet owners also tend to get more exercise. Walking a dog is as ingrained in American culture as barbecues on the Fourth of July.
We love our pets. Sure, they’re an occasional headache. But they’re paying us back with unquestioned devotion and a healthier brain.