seniors had six times the risk of developing dementia if they lived with a spouse who had been diagnosed with the condition.The current best theory suggests that the stress of caring for someone with dementia ends up causing dementia.
My theory is that it's another kind of social virus: the same thing that shows you are more likely to smoke if your friend's friend smokes, eat healthier if your friend's spouse starts eating healthier, etc. -- even if you've never met. Similarly, men experience "sympathy pregnancies", actually undergoing biological changes.
I'll bet if they look at friends of people with spouses who have Alzheimer's, they'll find an increased probability of developing dementia.
