A new study investigating the biological impact of marital dissolution suggests that a history of divorce does not accelerate physical changes in the brain associated with aging or dementia. Researchers analyzed brain scans from a racially and ethnically diverse group of older adults to look for signs of neurodegeneration. They found no robust link between having been divorced and the presence of Alzheimer’s disease markers or reductions in brain volume. These findings were published in Innovation in Aging.
The rising number of older adults globally has made understanding the causes of cognitive decline a priority for medical researchers. Scientists are increasingly looking beyond diet and exercise to understand how social and psychological experiences shape biology. Psychosocial stress is a primary area of interest in this field. Chronic stress can negatively impact the body, potentially increasing inflammation or hormonal imbalances that harm brain cells over time.
Divorce represents one of the most common and intense sources of psychosocial stress in the United States. Approximately 17 percent of adults over the age of 50 reported being divorced in 2023. The experience often involves not just the emotional pain of a relationship ending but also long-term economic strain and the loss of social standing. These secondary effects are often particularly harsh for women.
Previous research into how divorce affects the aging mind has produced conflicting results. Some past studies indicated that divorced or widowed individuals faced higher odds of developing dementia compared to married peers. Other inquiries found that ending a marriage might actually slow cognitive decline in some cases. Most of this prior work relied on memory tests rather than looking at the physical condition of the brain itself.
To address this gap, a team of researchers sought to determine if divorce leaves a physical imprint on brain structure. The study was led by Suhani Amin and Junxian Liu, who are affiliated with the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. They collaborated with senior colleagues from Kaiser Permanente, the University of California, Davis, and Rush University.
The team hypothesized that the accumulated stress of divorce might correlate with worse brain health in later years. They specifically looked for reductions in brain size and the accumulation of harmful proteins. They also aimed to correct a limitation in previous studies that often focused only on White populations. This new analysis prioritized a cohort that included Asian, Black, Latino, and White participants.
The researchers utilized data from two major ongoing health studies. The first was the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Different Life Experiences (KHANDLE) cohort. The second was the Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR) cohort. Both groups consisted of long-term members of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California healthcare system.
Participants in these cohorts had previously completed detailed health surveys and were invited to undergo neuroimaging. The researchers identified 664 participants who had complete magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. They also analyzed a subset of 385 participants who underwent positron emission tomography (PET) scans. The average age of the participants at the time of their MRI scan was approximately 74 years old.
The primary variable the researchers examined was a history of divorce. They classified participants based on whether they answered yes to having a previous marriage end in divorce. They also included individuals who reported their current marital status as divorced. This approach allowed them to capture lifetime exposure to the event rather than just current status.
The MRI scans provided detailed images allowing the measurement of brain volumes. The team looked at the total size of the cerebrum and specific regions like the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a brain structure vital for learning and memory that often shrinks early in the course of Alzheimer’s disease. They also examined the lobes of the brain and the volume of gray matter and white matter.
In addition to volume, the MRI scans measured white matter hyperintensities. These are bright spots on a scan that indicate damage to the brain’s communication cables. High amounts of these hyperintensities are often associated with vascular problems and cognitive slowing.
The PET scans utilized a radioactive tracer to detect amyloid plaques. Amyloid beta is a sticky protein that clumps between nerve cells and is a hallmark characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers calculated the density of these plaques to determine if a person crossed the threshold for amyloid positivity.
The statistical analysis accounted for various factors that could skew the results. The models adjusted for age, sex, race and ethnicity, and education level. They also controlled for whether the participant was born in the American South and whether their own parents had divorced.
The results showed that individuals with a history of divorce had slightly smaller volumes in the total cerebrum and hippocampus. They also displayed slightly greater volumes of white matter hyperintensities. However, these differences were small and not statistically significant. This means the calculations were not precise enough to rule out the possibility that the differences were due to random chance.
The PET scan analysis yielded similar results regarding Alzheimer’s pathology. There was no meaningful association between a history of divorce and the total burden of amyloid plaques. The likelihood of being classified as amyloid-positive was effectively the same for divorced and non-divorced participants.
The researchers performed several sensitivity analyses to ensure their findings were robust. They broke the data down by sex to see if men and women experienced different effects. Although the impact of divorce on brain volume seemed to trend in opposite directions for men and women in some brain regions, the confidence intervals overlapped. This suggests there is no strong evidence of a sex-specific difference in this sample.
They also checked if the definition of the sample population affected the outcome. They ran the numbers again excluding people who had never been married. They also adjusted for childhood socioeconomic status, looking at factors like parental education and financial stability. None of these adjustments altered the primary conclusion that divorce was not associated with brain changes.
There are several potential reasons why this study did not find a link between divorce and neurodegeneration. One possibility is that the stress of divorce acts more like an acute, short-term event rather than a chronic condition. Detectable changes in brain structure usually result from sustained exposure to adversity over many years. It is possible that for many people, the stress of divorce resolves before it causes permanent biological damage.
Another factor is the heterogeneity of the divorce experience. For some individuals, ending a marriage is a devastating source of trauma and financial ruin. For others, it is a relief that removes them from an unhealthy or unsafe environment. These opposing experiences might cancel each other out when analyzing a large group, leading to a null result.
The authors noted several limitations to their work. The study relied on a binary measure of whether a divorce occurred. They did not have data on the timing of the divorce or the reasons behind it. They also lacked information on the subjective level of stress the participants felt during the separation.
Future research could benefit from a more nuanced approach. Gathering data on the duration of the marriage and the economic aftermath of the split could provide clearer insights. Understanding the personal context of the divorce might help reveal specific subgroups of people who are more vulnerable to health consequences.
The study provides a reassuring perspective for the millions of older adults who have experienced marital dissolution. While divorce is undoubtedly a major life event, this research suggests it does not automatically dictate the biological health of the brain in late life. It underscores the resilience of the aging brain in the face of common social stressors.
The study, “The Association Between Divorce and Late-life Brain Health in a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Cohort of Older Adults,” was authored by Suhani Amin, Junxian Liu, Paola Gilsanz, Evan Fletcher, Charles DeCarli, Lisa L. Barnes, Rachel A. Whitmer, and Eleanor Hayes-Larson.
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