Family feuds may boost dementia risk Scientists have found that an unhappy family life could increase a person's risk of developing dementia. 31 March 2026 Strained family relationships could increase the risk of dementia. A couple arguing Scientists found that people unhappy with their family life face a higher chance of developing the degenerative condition - which causes a decline in thinking, memory, and reasoning skills. The study analysed data from 104,093 UK adults aged between 40 and 69, all of whom were dementia-free at the start.