They find that having a pet helps protect the brain as you age

A recent study of adults age 50 and older found that those who had a pet for more than five years they performed better on tests of cognitive memory than those who didn’t.

The findings of the University of MichiganUNITED STATES OF AMERICA, suggest that the so-called “pet effect” may protect more than just the health of our guts and hearts; it could also play a role in the aging of our brains.

The study has been published in the Journal of Aging and Health.

The findings are based on a nationally representative survey from 2010 to 2016 which, among other questions, consulted more than 20,000 adults over the age of 50 about the status of your pets.

Using these results, the researchers showed that those who checked the pet box showed interesting differences in their cognition scores during the six-year trial period.

the effect alone it was evident in participants older than 65 yearswhich is usually when the symptoms of dementia start to show.

If a person in that age group had owned a pet for more than five years, the researchers found that their short- and long-term memory for words it was much better than those who didn’t have a pet but they were the same age.

Whenever the participants were tested over the six years, they showed better scores, even when they inevitably get older.

The results are just an associationnot clear evidence that the “pet effect” really exists.

It could be, for example, that people with youimproved cognitive function they are more likely to keep a pet company longer in the future.

That said, the study adds to many recent studies suggesting it Having a pet is good for your health. There are numerous theories as to why this is the case, which have yet to be proven.

Having a dog, for example, could mean this pet owners are forced to get up and move more, and daily movement is closely linked to brain health and functional longevity.

Pets also bring new bacteria into a home’s circulation, which could improve our intestinal healthhe. By the way, the gut-brain connection is something scientists have recently realized is far more important than we once thought.

Or maybe pets just make us happy.. Studies suggest that having a pet in our lives can ease loneliness and ease chronic stress.

In old age, it may be more important than ever.. Evidence has shown that isolation can change the structure and function of our brains.

Also there’s a possibility that all of these theories are, at least in part, correct.

factors rcommon risks for dementia include physical inactivity, isolation, cardiovascular disease, depression/anxiety, and chronic stress.

In short, owning a pet could help protect many different pathways toward cognitive decline simultaneously.

But while most studies of pet ownership have focused on how dogs or cats affect our emotions and physical health, far fewer studies have looked at how pets They affect our ability to think.

Some of these studies returned null results. But the Michigan researchers think it’s because there’s a time lag it takes a pet to impact our brainss, and most previous studies have used brief interactions with unfamiliar dogs to test the effect.

And as we all knowloneliness is not overcome in a day. Friendship isn’t built even in a single stroking session.

People shape their days around their pets and these companion animals they can impact nearly every aspect of our lives.

Having someone to talk to during the day, even if it’s not a human being, might exercise verbal networks in our brain.

Pets they could keep us young and fits both indoors and outdoors.

Source: Scientific Advisory