Individuals over 50 can delay dementia through the companionship of pets, according to a study conducted in China.
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A study by researchers from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, found that having pets may be associated with slower rates of dementia development.
Published on Tuesday in JAMA Network Open, it determined that having a pet alters verbal memory and fluency among adults living alone, meaning these rates are more agile in those who do not live alone. The research involved more than 7,900 participants over 50 years old, with 35% of them having pets, while 27% lived alone.
The study’s author, Professor Ciyong Lu, states, “These findings suggest that having pets may be associated with a slower cognitive decline among older individuals living alone.” This is crucial information, considering that currently, more than 55 million people suffer from dementia worldwide – with almost 10 million new cases each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, currently classified as the 7th leading cause of death, also according to the WHO. Symptoms include forgetfulness, confusion, anxiety, misjudgment of distances, among others. There is currently no cure, so the ideal is to stay active.
