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When it comes to keeping your brain in shape as you age, one powerful ally might already be curled up on your couch or wagging its tail at the door. <\/p>\nWhen it comes to keeping your brain in shape as you age, one powerful ally might already be curled up on your couch or wagging its tail at the door. <\/p>\n
A new study in Scientific Reports<\/em> found that owning certain pets is linked to slower mental decline in people over 50.<\/p>\n This is according to a new study from the University of Geneva.<\/p>\n The researchers analyzed 18 years of data from more than 50,000 adults aged 50 and older across Europe.<\/p>\n The study focused on two key brain functions: <\/p>\n They tracked how these abilities changed over time in people with and without pets.<\/p>\n Even more interesting\u2014they broke it down by pet type: dogs, cats, birds, and fish. <\/p>\n Here’s what they found:<\/p>\n 2.\tDog owners showed a slower decline in immediate and delayed memory.<\/p>\n 3.\tCat owners had a slower decline in verbal fluency, like being able to quickly name words in a category.<\/p>\n 4.\tBird and fish owners didn\u2019t see a noticeable brain benefit.<\/p>\n 5.\tAge didn\u2019t change the results. The benefits of dog and cat ownership applied to all groups over 50.\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n The researchers concluded that having a dog or cat may help protect against cognitive decline and support healthy brain aging.<\/p>\n Why this benefit? <\/p>\n It could be that dogs and cats require a bit of daily mental engagement, whether it\u2019s remembering feeding schedules, planning walks, or responding to a cat\u2019s unpredictable behavior.<\/p>\n Dogs also tend to increase social interaction, which is linked to better mental health.<\/p>\n So if you\u2019re looking for a fun, meaningful way to support your brain as you age, a four-legged companion might be just what the doctor ordered.<\/p>\n I teach a different approach for Alzheimer\u2019s and other types of dementia.<\/p>\n Boost your brain cells with a free ingredient found almost everywhere. <\/p>\n\n
\n-\tepisodic memory (which lets us recall specific experiences).\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n\n