Hearing Loss & Dementia
Impacting over 50 million people globally, dementia is a rapidly growing chronic condition. Dementia refers to a range of conditions that are characterized by cognitive decline. This includes: Lewy Body, Parkinson’s, and the most common: Alzheimer’s. These types of dementia affect cognitive capacities like memory, decision making, ability to concentrate, learning etc. This reduces a person’s ability to navigate daily life independently and has far reaching effects on overall health and wellness.
There are no cures for dementia so there is significant emphasis on identifying and mitigating risk factors. Identifying and addressing risk factors can reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Early intervention can also drastically support treatment and brain health. Extensive research shows that there is a correlation between hearing loss and dementia. Studies show that hearing loss can actually contribute to cognitive decline.
Hearing Loss & Cognitive Decline
1 in 8 people have some degree of hearing loss in one or both ears
25% for adults ages 65-74 have hearing loss
50% for adults ages 75 and older have hearing loss
1 in 10 people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s specifically
Studies Linking Hearing Loss & Cognitive Decline
Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School
This study involved researchers examining data collected by a health survey conducted over an 8-year period. The study included 10,107 participants, ages 62 and older, who self-reported information about their hearing and cognitive health. Researchers found that cognitive decline was:
- 30% higher among people with mild hearing loss
- 42% higher among people with moderate hearing loss
- 54% higher among people with severe hearing loss
These findings show that not only were the participants with hearing loss more likely to also develop cognitive decline but that the severity of hearing loss increased the risk of developing cognitive decline.
2013 Study, Johns Hopkins University
Researchers gathered and examined data on the relationship between hearing loss and cognitive decline for over 1980 adults. Using tests to comprehensively measure cognitive and hearing health over a 6-year period, researchers found that:
- people with mild hearing loss were 24% more likely to experience cognitive decline
- people with more severe hearing loss were 41% more likely to experience cognitive decline
These studies are among the growing body of research that establishes hearing loss as a risk factor for dementia.
Studies Linking Hearing Loss & Cognitive Decline
Researchers suggest that hearing loss can impact cognitive health in the following ways:
