Pet ownership, living alone, and cognitive decline among adults age 50 and older

In this cohort study of 7945 participants 50 years and older, pet ownership was associated with slower rates of decline in verbal memory and verbal fluency among individuals living alone, but not among those living with others. Pet ownership offset the association between living alone and declining rates of verbal memory and verbal fluency. A study published in JAMA Network.

Older adults tend to experience cognitive decline. As the population ages and life expectancy increases, a major public health issue is the deterioration of cognitive function in older adults. It is estimated that the number of people with dementia worldwide will increase from 57 million in 2019 to 153 million in 2050.

It remains unclear whether pet ownership is associated with cognitive decline and to what extent pet ownership mitigates the association between living alone and cognitive decline.

Pet ownership was associated with slower rates of decline in composite verbal cognition (β = 0.008 SD/y), verbal memory (β = 0.006 SD/y), and verbal fluency (β = 0.007 SD/y). Three-way interaction tests showed that living alone was a significant modifier in all 3 associations.

Stratified analyses showed that pet ownership was associated with slower rates of decline in composite verbal cognition (β = 0.023 SD/y), verbal memory (β = 0.021 SD/y), and verbal fluency (β = 0.018 SD/y) among individuals living alone, but not among those living with others. Joint association analyses showed no significant difference in rates of decline in composite verbal cognition, verbal memory, or verbal fluency between pet owners living alone and pet owners living with others.

In this cohort study, pet ownership was associated with slower rates of decline in verbal memory and verbal fluency among older adults living alone, but not among those living with others, and pet ownership offset the associations between living alone and declining rates in verbal memory and verbal fluency. Further studies are needed to assess whether pet ownership slows the rate of cognitive decline in older adults living alone.

Reference: Li Y, Wang W, Zhu L, et al. Pet Ownership, Living Alone, and Cognitive Decline Among Adults 50 Years and Older. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(12):e2349241. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.49241