Spouses of Dementia Patients Are At Around 70% Higher Risk of Developing The Condition: Study

Dementia is an overall term that refers to decline in mental abilities like memory, thinking, and reasoning. It is a serious concern that can impact an individual’s life. A new study has left people with a burning question: is dementia contagious? The research has shown that spouses of dementia patients are at an elevated risk of developing the same condition. It was conducted with nearly one million people in Taiwan. If you want to know more about the study, read ahead.

What is The New Study on Dementia All About?

A new study on dementia has been published in the American Medical Association journal, JAMA Network Open. The research team was led by Dr Wu Chi-shin of Taiwan's National Health Research Institutes (NHRI). They analysed health data from about 9,55,000 married couples in Taiwan. The study discovered that spouses of dementia patients are at an increased risk of developing the same condition. 

The research compared 1,91,021 spouses of patients, who were newly diagnosed with dementia (between the time period of 1998 to 2022) with 7,64,084 spouses from the general population. They were matched by birth year, gender, income and area of residence.

The study discovered that women whose spouses had dementia were at a 74% higher risk of developing the condition. On the other hand, men faced a 69% higher risk. The study focused that dementia is not contagious; rather, this shared risk is likely the result of couples having similar living environments, lifestyles, and dietary habits over many years. Moreover, it noted that the chronic stress, sleep disruption, and heavy emotional burden of caregiving also plays an important role in accelerating a spouse's own mental decline. However, the study added that having a higher income or a larger family slightly lowered this risk. This is because these spouses had better access to professional care services and shared family support.

Symptoms of Dementia

According to the Cleveland Clinic, here are the symptoms of dementia:

Cognitive Symptoms

• Difficulty sharing thoughts.
• Memory loss.
• Problems following directions.
• Trouble with language.

Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms

• Agitation.
• Anxiety.
• Depression.
• Disorientation.
• Irritability.
• Hallucinations.
• Paranoia.
• Fidgeting or repeating movements.
• Sleep problems.

What are The Causes of Dementia?

The  Cleveland Clinic says that damaged brain cells lead to dementia. In the majority of cases, this damage originates from a neurodegenerative disease (a disease that gradually harms brain cells with time). These changes impact the parts of your brain that control memory, learning, language and decision-making.

Researchers are still analysing why dementia develops in some people and not in others. It also said that in rare cases, a gene change can cause it. On this note, let us take a look at some of the secondary and reversible dementia causes:

Secondary Dementia Causes

• Alcohol-related
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• Encephalitis
• Meningitis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Traumatic brain injury
• Wilson disease

Reversible Dementia Causes

• Bleeding in the brain (subdural hematomas).
• Brain tumors.
• Diseases of other body organs (liver cirrhosis, renal failure).
• Fluid buildup in your brain (normal pressure hydrocephalus).
• Hormone-related disorders (Addison’s disease, Cushing’s disease, thyroid disorders).
• Infections (like HIV, syphilis).
• Medicine side effects (from certain drugs, like anticholinergics or benzodiazepines)
• Vitamin deficiencies (not enough vitamins, like B1, B6, B12, copper or vitamin E).

ALSO READ- Dairy Fat Linked To Lower Dementia Risk? Scientists Believe So

Conclusion

A new study has confirmed that spouses of dementia patients are at about 70% increased risk of developing the condition. However, this does not indicate that dementia is contagious. In fact, it is because of shared dietary habits, living environments, and severe caregiving stress experienced by couples, which can significantly elevate a spouse's risk of cognitive decline. On a brighter note, having access to professional healthcare services and a strong family support can help minimise this risk.