Recent Study: Keeping Animals Is Good for Health

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For some people, keeping pets at home is fun. The main reason for keeping animals at home is usually just to like or be happy with the pet.

As it turns out, having a pet at home can provide long-term health benefits beyond emotional support. A preliminary study released via a press release by the American Academy of Neurology on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, quoted on the Insider page, revealed that long-term or senior pet owners have a slower rate of cognitive decline compared to adults who don't. have pets.

People who have had pets, such as furry or scaly animals, for five years or more can benefit the most from brain health.

While dogs and cats were the most common pets in the sample. People in the study also admitted to caring for other animals, such as rabbits, hamsters, birds, fish, and reptiles.

In this study, the scientists used data from the Department of Health and Retirement Sciences, University of Michigan, United States. The data was obtained through a large-scale survey of Medicare recipients to compare the cognitive scores of pet owners and non-pet owners. The initial study involved several tests to evaluate memory and cognition over six years.

Previous studies have also described the association between pet ownership and heart health benefits. Among other things, lower heart rate and blood pressure. It's possible that owning a pet may protect against stress, although studies haven't proven a direct cause and effect.

The study's author and professor of neurology at the University of Michigan, Tiffanny Braley, said stress can indeed negatively affect cognitive function. The potential stress-buffering effect of pet ownership could provide a plausible rationale for the findings. Companion animals can also increase physical activity which is beneficial for cognitive health.

Braley and colleagues also found that the brain benefits of owning a pet were particularly strong in adults, especially men. Based on demographic data, pet owners also tend to have a higher socioeconomic status.