According to a study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, older adults who have severe hearing loss are more susceptible to dementia. However, study participants who utilized hearing aids were found to have lower instances of dementia.
Previous studies have already noted a link between hearing loss and dementia, with one such study published in 2012 revealing that individuals with mild, moderate, and severe hearing loss had twice, three times, and five times, respectively, the risk of developing dementia compared to those with normal hearing.
In fact, the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care has estimated that hearing loss is responsible for 8% of dementia cases globally, making it the most significant modifiable dementia risk factor.
Despite these previous findings, the researchers of this latest study assert that past studies were limited due to their reliance on self-reported data that may not have provided an accurate representation of hearing loss and dementia on a national scale. In contrast, this study used objective audiometric measures and analyzed data that better represented older adults in the U.S.
The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and analyzed a national dataset from the ongoing National Health and Aging Trends Study. The study’s analysis covered 2,413 individuals, around half of whom were over 80, and revealed a clear link between the severity of hearing loss and dementia.
Participants with moderate/severe hearing loss had a 61% higher prevalence of dementia than those with normal hearing.
The good news is:
According to a recent study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, older adults with severe hearing loss have a higher likelihood of developing dementia. However, the study found that individuals who use hearing aids have a lower prevalence of dementia.
This study’s findings support previous research, which also found a link between hearing loss and dementia. Hearing loss has been estimated to be responsible for 8% of dementia cases worldwide, making it the most significant potentially modifiable dementia risk factor, according to the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care.
Unlike previous studies, which relied on self-reported data, this study used an objective measure of hearing and a more representative dataset of older adults in the US. The analysis showed a clear association between the severity of hearing loss and dementia.
The study also found that hearing aid use was associated with a 32% lower prevalence of dementia among participants with moderate to severe hearing loss. However, more randomized trials are needed to definitively test the effect of hearing aids on cognition and dementia.
Approximately one-third of older adults have hearing loss, with the chances of developing hearing loss increasing with age, according to the National Institute on Aging.
Hearing loss can make the brain work harder, cause the brain to shrink more quickly, and cause social isolation, which can harm brain health.