Japanese Study Says Owning a Dog Could Halve Brain Disease Risk

A Japanese study published in Preventive Medicine Reports has shown that owning a dog could reduce the risk of degenerative brain diseases in people over 65, notably preventing the development of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

For nearly seven years, researchers from the National Institute for Environmental Studies observed the effect dogs have on the human brain.

By analyzing age, sex, education level, and social background, the researchers said that people who owned a pet, and more specifically a dog, had a lower risk of developing age-related brain disease, with the risk of contracting such brain pathologies potentially being reduced by half, according to the researchers. CNews.

According to experts, having a dog encourages owners to go outside and thus promotes social interaction and exercise, which keeps the brain healthy and prevents the deterioration of memory, thinking, behavior and the ability to perform all kinds of daily activities.

“Walking one’s dog has been presented as a way to increase opportunities for social interaction and improve the psychological health of older people, suggesting that walking one’s dog can contribute to social participation.”

Yu Taniguchi, lead author of the study, told the Telegraph.

However, for people who have a cat as a pet, the study was clear in stating that the cat requires less cognitive effort and therefore has less impact on brain health.