Maryland: A study has shown that owning a cat or dog can slow the rate of decline in mental performance with age.
As people age, mental abilities such as learning, thinking, problem solving, and memory decline even without dementia. But some people are able to maintain better mental abilities into old age, partly because of their pets. Animals can be kept.
Researchers from the University of Maryland, USA, studied the data of 637 people between the ages of 51 and 101. A total of 11 percent of participants had a pet cat while 13 percent had a pet dog.
Analysis of the data revealed that all participants experienced a decline in cognitive performance with age over a period of more than a decade. However, this decline was less pronounced in those who had owned dogs or cats.
Two-thirds of dog owners reported taking their dogs for walks and had lower rates of cognitive decline than non-walkers.
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