Association Between Pet Ownership and Incident Dementia: A Systematic Review - PubMed

4 hours ago

Dementia affects over 55 million people globally, with prevention being a priority.
Pet ownership is considered a modifiable factor that may improve cognitive health, but evidence is mixed.
A systematic review included six studies, focusing on pet ownership and incident dementia or related outcomes.
Two studies found a protective association between pet ownership (especially dogs) and incident dementia, while one found no significant link.
Dog or cat ownership, particularly with dog walking, was associated with slower cognitive decline.
Exposure to non-companion animals was linked to an increased risk of cognitive impairment.
The type of pets and related behaviors may be more important than ownership alone.
Risk of bias in the included studies was moderate to high.

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