Staying single might decrease dementia risk, says new study
Cognitive benefits of marriage may depend on its quality, says UCI Health expert
IN THE NEWS: New research in Alzheimer's & Dementia has shown that contrary to popular belief, unmarried older adults ― single, divorced or widowed ― have a lower risk of developing dementia compared to their married counterparts.
Hayley B. Kristinsson, a neuropsychologist at UCI Health, recently spoke with MDLinx about the implications of the research, which she was not a part of.
“We know that social connection is beneficial for cognitive health, [but this study] challenges the long-held notion that marriage is a protective factor in the risk of developing dementia.”
She shared that the findings might also point to the cognitive health benefits of high-quality and happy marriages.
“[Other] studies have shown that individuals in unhappy marriages are more likely to be at risk of poor health outcomes, suggesting that marriage quality plays a role in the association between marriage and risk of dementia.”
According to Kristinsson, research continues to show that social connection benefits overall cognitive health.
“Whether that occurs within the context of marriage or being single is likely less important than the social connection itself.”
Ultimately, further research is needed to validate the claim that marriage status increases or decreases overall dementia risk.
Kristinsson is board-certified neuropsychologist at UCI Health Psychiatry Services whose clinical interests include memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive issues in aging, neuropsychological testing and neurological disorders. She is also an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Neurology at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
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UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.