Research links dog, cat ownership to better brain health
JACKSON, Tenn. — Recent findings from researchers provide some options to help brain health as we get older.
The global population is aging and dementia rates are climbing. Researchers have found that owning a cat or a dog could lead to slower cognitive decline.
Dr. Patrick Porter, an expert in brain health, tells us why this is the case.
“We have a natural propensity to serve other people or other things,” Dr. Porter said. “Even though we might not think we have that in our nature, our brain actually gives us the neurotransmitter activity and neurochemicals that our brain creates.”
While both types of pets help the brain, they do it in different ways.
“The biggest difference was that it seemed that cat owners had more of a benefit in the verbal section of the brain,” said Dr. Porter. “With the dog you have to get up and walk them, which is really good for the brain. You trigger something called BDNF — brain derived neurotropic factors. So that is going to recruit more energy to the brain.”
The interactions you receive from dogs and cats are much more frequent when compared to less demanding pets. This provides cognitive stimulation that likely is the reason behind the results.
“There’s definitely, in the brain, there’s the same connections. Because the memories in the brain are like beads on a string. So, all liked experiences are stored together,” Dr. Porter said.
The research showed that not all pet types showed promising results. In fact, there were was no significant link with owners of fish or birds.
Some estimations say that the shorter lifespan of birds and fish may have something to do with these findings.
The research was done over an 18-year period among adults 50 and older.
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