
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Losing a spouse can be a heartbreaker, and new research suggests it's also tough on the brain.
The study found that when a husband or wife dies, the surviving mate's mental acuity could start to decline.
In fact, people who are widowed and have high levels of beta-amyloid plaque, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, appear to experience cognitive decline three times faster than similar people who have not lost a spouse, the researchers added.
"The associations of widowhood and amyloid were compounded, not simply additive, indicating that widowhood is a specific risk factor for cognitive decline due to Alzheimer's disease," explained lead researcher Dr. Nancy Donovan, chief of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at Brigham and Women's...