A link has been identified between having a dog and the development of senile dementia.

We all know that dogs are man’s best friend, and now research suggests that this may be due to the benefits dogs bring to our brain health, writes the Daily Mail.

Scientists from Japan have found that owning a dog of any breed (but, alas, not a cat!) reduces the risk of dementia in older adults by 40 percent compared to people who do not have barking pets.

Owning a dog increases a person’s likelihood of getting out of the house, which leads to more interaction with other people and, in turn, exercises the brain, Japanese researchers say.

This has a “suppressive effect” on the development of the debilitating condition, which affects more than 55 million people worldwide, the Daily Mail said.

Previous studies have also shown that dog ownership in older adults has a protective effect against frailty, disability, and death from any cause.

The new study was led by researchers at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology in Japan, who say it is the first to show that dog ownership protects against dementia.

“Dog owners with an exercise habit and not socially isolated had a significantly lower risk of debilitating dementia,” the study article states. “Dog care can promote physical activity, including exercise habits, and social participation.” life even under restrictions on interaction such as those encountered during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Dementia is an umbrella term for symptoms that occur when brain function declines, but Alzheimer’s disease is the most common dementia condition, explains the Daily Mail, adding that many dementia conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, are associated with an abnormal buildup of proteins in the brain.

But exercise, the publication continues, reduces this buildup while maintaining adequate blood flow to the brain and stimulating the growth and survival of brain cells.

In addition to getting enough physical activity, staying mentally and socially active is other common medical advice for preventing dementia.

For the study, the researchers recruited 11,194 older adults in Japan between the ages of 65 and 84. Participants who were physically and cognitively independent at the start of the study were sent questionnaires to complete about whether they owned a cat or a dog.

Participants were also asked about any type of exercise they did more than once a week, from walking and running to yoga, swimming, cycling and stretching.

Approximately four years later, their health was assessed, including the development of any dementia conditions.

For the entire sample, the researchers calculated an “odds ratio,” which indicates the risk of developing dementia for both dog and cat owners.

After adjusting for background factors, the odds ratio was 0.6 for dog owners, but much higher, 0.98, for cat owners and 1 for those without dogs or cats.

As expected, how much participants exercised also influenced their risk of developing dementia, but this was of greatest importance for dog owners.

Dog owners who exercised regularly had a low odds ratio of developing dementia, at 0.37, compared to dog owners who did not exercise.

But dog owners with no exercise habits had a much higher odds ratio of 0.89 compared to dog owners who did not exercise.

And current dog owners without social isolation had an odds ratio of 0.41 compared to people without dogs who were socially isolated.

In other words, dog owners who are accustomed to exercise and who are not socially isolated have the lowest risk of disabling dementia.

However, the findings suggest that owning a dog does not protect against the disease if you don’t get enough exercise and are socially isolated, the research team warns.

“Dog owners without dog-related daily lifestyle habits, such as lack of exercise and social isolation, did not experience benefits associated with dementia prevention,” the scientists wrote.

Researchers note that the proportion of dog and cat owners in Japan is lower than in Western countries such as the United States. “Thus, it will be important to assess whether the relationships found in Japan are also present in Western and other countries,” they say.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are approximately 50 million people with dementia worldwide, and nearly 10 million new cases are reported each year.

A 2021 study found that global dementia cases will nearly triple to more than 152 million by 2050, driven by an aging population.

According to experts at the University of Washington, the greatest increase in the prevalence of dementia is expected in eastern sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East.