In a study thought to be the first to consider the effect of duration of pet ownership on cognitive health, pet ownership was especially beneficial for working verbal memory, such as memorization of word lists.
Owning household pets for five years or more produced the most benefit, delaying cognitive decline by 1.2 points over the six-year period of the study compared with the rate of decline in people without pets. The author did note other historical studies that contradicted the new results.
Any brain boost associated with owning pets over five years was “more prominent for Black adults, college-educated adults, and men.”
Source: CNN, February 23, 2022. Link.
Note: The article also includes a slide show about sleeping with pets quoting Dana Varble, DVM, CAE, chief veterinary officer, NAVC.