Professional Baseball Victories and Dementia Symptoms in Older Adults: An Exploratory Study Among Hanshin Tigers Fans

Dementia is a growing societal issue characterized by cognitive decline and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). This exploratory retrospective study examined the relationship between professional baseball outcomes and changes in BPSD among 855 dementia patients in the Kansai region of Japan. Survey results revealed that 19 Hanshin Tigers fans experienced significant reductions in BPSD scores following the team's 2023 Central League championship. Subcategory analyses showed significant decreases in offensive and abusive words, apathy and indifference, excitation and agitation, day-night reversal, and depressive and gloomy mood. These findings suggest that emotionally meaningful sports-related events may be associated with changes in BPSD among dementia patients who are strongly emotionally invested in their favorite teams. Although limited by subgroup size and study design, the results provide preliminary evidence that sports spectating, particularly during high-salience events, may have measurable implications for behavioral symptoms in dementia care and warrant further investigation in prospective studies.