Hearing loss affects around 32% of people who are above the age of 55, and over 70% of people older than 70. It is also a modifiable risk factor for dementia. Hearing loss has been linked to cognitive decline in past studies. Working with this knowledge, a group of researchers from the University of Melbourne decided to investigate that relationship with the hope that their research would lead to a possible treatment. There is no cure for dementia yet, but many researchers like these are dedicated to finding a way to treat or at least prevent it.
The group focused on the impact of hearing aids on cognitive decline. The idea is that wearing hearing aids may delay the progression of dementia in older adults and maybe even improve brain function. The results of the study revealed that hearing aid use may improve mental performance, as 93% of the participants showed improvements in cognitive and executive functions after 18 months. The research has been published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.
The Study
- Nearly one hundred adults between the ages of 62 and 82 with hearing loss participated.
- Each person was assessed before and after 18 months of wearing hearing aids that were fitted explicitly for their needs. They were tested on speech perception, cognitive function, physical activity, quality of life, mood, loneliness, and medical health.
The Results
- By the end of the 18 months of hearing aid use, self-reported listening disability, speech perception, and quality of life had all significantly improved.
- 97.3% of the participants showed either clinically significant improvement or stability in executive function – their mental ability to plan, organize information, and initiate tasks.
- Women showed more of an improvement in cognitive functions than men, especially in working memory – used for reasoning and decision-making. This was likely because women were more inclined to wear the devices than men.
- More frequent use of hearing aids led to more significant improvements.
Julia Sarant, University of Melbourne Associate Professor and Chief Investigator of the study said:
Improvement in cognitive function is something that is not usually seen in older adults. Although there are successful treatments for hearing loss, there is currently no successful treatment for cognitive decline or dementia. If the onset of functional impairment could even be delayed by only a few years for some people, this would be a significant achievement.
This research is a positive step in investigating the treatment of hearing aids to delay cognitive decline. Further research is underway to compare cognitive outcomes from a larger sample size with those of a healthy aging comparison group of older Australians with typical hearing for their age.
For some people, the onset of dementia cannot be changed because it’s caused by genetics or advancing age, and wearing a hearing aid will not prevent it in any way. However, some people may benefit from wearing the hearing aid, at least to delay the condition from getting worse.
