Research indicates that owning cats or dogs is associated with slower cognitive decline in older adults. Dog ownership is linked to sharper memory retention, while cat ownership correlates with a slower decline in verbal fluency. Fish and birds do not show significant benefits. The study draws on data from the Survey of Health and Retirement in Europe, examining pet ownership's impact on cognitive functions and decline. The findings reveal that the benefits of pet ownership differ substantially between species, underscoring the importance of the type of pet in this context.
The association between pet ownership and cognitive decline in late adulthood has shown that dog owners retain sharper memory, while cat owners exhibit slower decline in verbal fluency.
Adriana Rostekova, a researcher from the University of Geneva, emphasized that the findings show notable differences in cognitive outcomes based on the type of pet owned.
Pet ownership has a positive influence on cognitive functioning, but the impact varies significantly between different species, with dogs and cats providing more pronounced benefits.
Collection
[
|
...
]