It's no secret that human-animal interactions, particularly those stemming from pet ownership, have a wide range of benefits for social, emotional, and physical health. Recent studies have also suggested that these interactions can have a positive impact on cognitive and brain health. In this blog post, we'll explore the findings of two studies that have delved into the specific benefits of pet ownership, with a focus on dogs, and how they can enhance cognitive performance and protect against age-related cognitive decline.
The Alabama Brain Study: Pet Ownership and Cognition
A recent study, the Alabama Brain Study on Risk for Dementia, recruited 95 participants aged 20-74, 56 of whom were pet-owners and 39 of whom were not. The study found that pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, was related to higher levels of cognition and larger brain structures. The most consistent cognitive relationships were found with better processing speed, attentional orienting, and episodic memory for stories, as well as with dorsal attention, limbic, and default mode networks.
The study also found that owning a pet can reduce one's brain age by up to 15 years. Interestingly, pet ownership was not found to be related to indirect factors such as social, emotional, and physical health. Additionally, older adults' brain health was found to benefit from owning more than one pet, as opposed to owning one or fewer pets.
The Impact of Dogs on Children's Attention and Concentration
Another study, designed to test the effect of the presence of dogs and contact with dogs on children's performance, used neuropsychological concentration tasks to measure the impact of interacting with either a trained therapy dog or the robotic dog AIBO for 15 minutes before the tests. The study found that the learning effect in the memory test, as well as in the neuropsychological attention test "Cancellation Screen," was significantly enhanced when children were in the presence of, or interacted with the dog. However, no such effect was found in the two attention tests "Continuous Performance Test" and "Divided Attention Bimodal."
The study also used passive infrared hemoencephalography (PIR HEG) to assess a biological correlate of attention. The results showed that attention processes measured in frontal brain activity were significantly reduced over time during the test "Divided Attention Bimodal" in the presence of the robotic dog. However, these processes did not decrease in the presence of the real dog. Additionally, the PIR HEG signal was found to be significantly higher in general in all three attention tests in the presence of the dog.
Conclusion
The results of these studies suggest that interacting with animals, and in particular, dogs, can have a positive impact on cognitive performance and brain health. Not only do pet owners, particularly dog owners, have higher levels of cognition and larger brain structures, but they also have the potential to reduce their brain age by up to 15 years. Additionally, the presence of a dog can enhance children's attention and concentration performance, with no evidence of distraction.
While these studies are just a glimpse into the potential benefits of pet ownership, they provide compelling evidence for the positive impact that animals can have on our cognitive and brain health. If you're considering getting a pet, especially a dog, know that not only will you be getting a loyal companion, but you may also be giving your brain a boost.
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