Could Marriage Stave Off Dementia?

A study in the Journals of Gerontology: Series B found married people are less likely to experience dementia as they get older, reports ScienceDaily . However, divorcees are about twice as likely as married people to develop dementia, with divorced men especially vulnerable. More than 15,000 people aged 52 and older in 2000 were assessed for cognitive function every two years through 2014. The researchers observed differing economic resources play only a partial role in higher dementia risk among divorced, widowed, and never-married respondents, but failed to account for elevated risk in cohabiters. Health-related factors, like behaviors and chronic conditions, exerted a slight risk among divorced and married subjects, without apparently impacting other marital statuses. "These findings will be helpful for health policymakers and practitioners who seek to better identify vulnerable populations and to design effective intervention strategies to reduce dementia risk," suggested Michigan State University Professor Hui Liu.