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Spousal Dementia Exposure and Risk of Dementia

JAMA Network Open 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.24175

July 20, 2026 at 11:00 AM EDT

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Do spouses of individuals with dementia have a higher risk of developing dementia? In this cohort study of nearly 1 million married individuals in Taiwan, spouses of individuals with dementia had a significantly higher risk of dementia than matched unexposed spouses, with 74% greater risk among women and 69% greater risk among men. These findings suggest dementia risk may extend to spouses, supporting a household-level approach to dementia risk assessment and family support.

Corresponding Author: Chi-Shin Wu, MD, PhD, National Center for Geriatrics and Welfare Research, National Health Research Institutes, 35, Keyan Road, Zhunan Town, Miaoli County 350, Taiwan (chishinwu@nhri.edu.tw).

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