New evidence suggests that having a close relationship with their caregivers may be medically beneficial to patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences reported in their September issue on a recent study that found that Alzheimer’s patients with emotionally close connections to caregivers- particularly spouses- displayed a reduced rate of cognitive degeneration.

The study followed participants for four years, performing a biannual check that included a series of cognitive tests as well as questions regarding patients’ relationships with caregivers. While those with close relationships did degenerate more slowly, the study could not rule out the possibility of milder forms of Alzheimer’s in individuals who degenerated more slowly.

"A close relationship might prompt caregivers to deliver more attentive treatment, but it might be the other way around, with a milder illness helping caregivers stay close," said Dr Constantine Lyketsos, a researcher involved in the study and director of the Johns Hopkins Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center. “Our next study is designed to detangle what’s going on."

While the link between caregiver relationships and the progression of the degenerative disease have not been conclusively established, other studies have been conducted to test the effectiveness of Gingko Bilbo and omega-3 fatty acids in slowing the effects of Alzheimer’s, both with promising results.