Dementia more likely to strike sufferers' spouses

Stress and depression linked with watching a spouse deteriorate could increase the risk of dementia, according to the study of 1,221 married couples.

Experts from Utah State University in the United States analysed data from couples where dementia was present and compared it with couples where dementia did not develop.

More than 200 people were diagnosed with dementia over the 12 years of the study, carried out in northern Utah on people aged 65 and older.

A total of 125 cases of dementia only in the husband were diagnosed, 70 only in the wife, and 30 where both spouses were diagnosed (60 people).

The authors, writing in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, published today, said stress may play a key role in increasing the risk of dementia although further study was needed on shared lifestyle factors and environment, which could have an effect.