Interesting research results were presented at the 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease this week. A European study revealed that people who lived alone their entire adult life had twice the risk of developing dementia (loss of brain function) later in life. Those who divorced in midlife and subsequently remained single had 3 times the risk, while widows and widowers had a 6-fold increase in risk of dementia. Those who lived with a spouse or partner had a 50% lower risk. The researchers attribute the decrease in risk to both social and intellectual stimulation afforded by a shared relationship. Full story.
Tags: alzheimer's, dementia, single, spouse, widow
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.