The life expectancy of patients with neurodegenerative diseases is related to the mental health status of the caregiver

researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, found that how long patients with neurodegenerative diseases survived was associated with the mental health of the people who cared for them. If the caregiver is in poor mental health, the patient's life span may be shortened.
neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, lead to a gradual deterioration of cognitive, emotional and motor functions. As symptoms slowly worsen over time, patients are usually looked after at home by family members. For the first time, the study is linking the mental health of caregivers to the life expectancy of patients with neurodegenerative diseases, the researchers said. The study was recently published in
States.
from 2007 to 2016, researchers followed 176 patients with neurodegenerative diseases and their caregivers to assess their health, social and emotional status and record their life expectancy. About 85 per cent of carers' relationships with patients are between spouses, 8 per cent are adult children and 6 per cent are siblings.
study found that the stress of caring for patients with neurodegenerative diseases affected the mental health of caregivers, with 40 percent of caregivers having depressive symptoms and higher-than-average levels of anxiety, social loneliness and depression. Patients who were cared for by a carer with symptoms of mental illness such as depression and anxiety usually passed away earlier, on average, 14 months earlier than those who were cared for by a carer in a normal state of mind. The results have taken into account factors such as the patient's sex, age, severity of the disease and mental health status.
Robert Lyvinson, a psychology professor at the University of California, Berkeley and one of the study's authors, said patients and caregivers are among the most challenging and intimate relationships in life, and the results show that their lives and health are intertwined, with mental and physical health affecting each other to form a high stake.
analysis, the poor mental state of caregivers may affect the patient's life in many ways, including reducing the quality of life of patients, weakening the patient's immunity, and transmitting negative emotions directly to patients. The researchers say the latest findings suggest that paying attention to protecting the mental health of caregivers may be beneficial to patient care.
the prevalence of various neurodegenerative diseases is rising, with more than 7 million such patients in the United States. Researchers believe neurodegenerative diseases have become one of the most pressing public health challenges, and the findings could help address that challenge. (Source: Xinhua News Agency, Martin)