I'm certainly not getting one, my cognitive health will stay high with all the social connections and travel I have by not having to worry about a pet when I'm gone.
The Impact of Sustained Ownership of a Pet on Cognitive Health: A Population-Based Study
Abstract
Objectives:
To examine associations between sustained ownership of a pet and cognitive outcomes among a national sample of U.S. adults.
Methods:
Weighted linear mixed models were estimated using the Health and Retirement Study (2010–2016, n = 1369) to compare repeated measures of cognitive function between respondents who endorsed owning a pet in a sustained manner (>5 years), versus those who owned a pet ≤5 years, and non-pet owners.
Results:
Respondents aged 65+ who owned a pet >5 years demonstrated higher composite cognitive scores, compared to non-pet owners (β = .76, p = .03). Sustained pet ownership was associated with higher immediate (β = .3, p = .02) and delayed (β = .4, p = .007) word recall scores. There were no significant differences in cognitive scores between pet owners and non-owners aged < 65.
Discussion:
Sustained ownership of a pet could mitigate cognitive disparities in older adults. Further studies are needed to examine potential causal pathways, including physical activity and stress buffering, versus selection effects.
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