{"id":43127,"date":"2025-02-19T10:23:14","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T09:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/?p=43127"},"modified":"2026-01-22T13:48:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T12:48:11","slug":"owning-a-dog-reduces-the-risk-of-dementia-in-seniors-according-to-a-recent-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/owning-a-dog-reduces-the-risk-of-dementia-in-seniors-according-to-a-recent-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Owning a dog reduces the risk of dementia in seniors, according to a recent study"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A recent Japanese study published in Preventive Medicine Reports suggests that owning a dog could significantly reduce the risk of developing disabling dementia in the elderly. This research, carried out on over 11,000 individuals, highlights the benefits of the human-pet bond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"dog<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Having a dog: a protective effect against dementia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The study, led by Yu Taniguchi and his team at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, followed a sample of 11,194 Japanese people aged 65 to 84 for four years. The researchers compared dementia rates between current dog owners and those who had never owned a dog <\/strong>or no longer did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results were striking<\/strong>: dog owners had a 40% lower risk of developing disabling dementia <\/strong>than non-dog owners. What’s more, among those who owned a dog and took part in regular physical activity, the risk fell by 63%<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why does having a dog protect us against dementia?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Scientists put forward several hypotheses <\/strong>to explain this beneficial effect. Firstly, having a dog encourages physical activity<\/strong>, particularly through daily walks. It’s a well-established fact that regular exercise helps reduce the risk of dementia by stimulating brain function and improving blood circulation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"dog<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, owning a dog reduces social isolation<\/strong>, a major risk factor for dementia. Interaction with the animal, and with other dog owners when out and about, creates a more active and stimulating social environment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the emotional attachment<\/strong> between owner and dog may play a key role. Previous studies have shown that the company of a pet reduces stress and anxiety<\/strong>, factors also linked to the development of cognitive disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And what about cats?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Unlike dogs, owning a cat doesn’t seem to offer the same benefits<\/strong> against dementia<\/a><\/strong>. The study found no significant difference between cat owners and non-cat owners in terms of dementia risk. One possible explanation is that cats, while providing emotional comfort, do not encourage as much physical exercise and social interaction as dogs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards a new approach to dementia prevention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These findings echo a British study published in JAMA Neurology<\/strong>, which suggests that pet ownership slows cognitive decline in elderly people living alone<\/strong>. Based on data from nearly 8,000 adults aged 50 and over, this research showed that pet owners living alone had a slower decline in verbal memory and verbal fluency <\/strong>than those who didn’t own one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

These findings suggest that pet ownership may offset the negative effects of social isolation on cognitive decline<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Yanzhi Li, lead author of the study<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"dog<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

However, the researchers stress that further studies will be needed to confirm these results <\/strong>and further explore the mechanisms involved. They also stress the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, active social relationships and regular physical activity, as a complement to animal companionship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A loyal friend for a healthy brain<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Owning a dog is more than just a pleasure<\/strong>: it can be a real asset to the cognitive health of senior citizens. If these results are confirmed, animal-assisted therapy could become a key strategy in the fight against dementia<\/a><\/strong>, a major public health issue in our ageing societies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Owning a #dog reduces the risk of #dementia in #seniors, according to a recent #study<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":43130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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