Wearing a hearing aid may reduce the risk of dementia in at-risk patients with the HALF, study suggests
Wearing a hearing aid could reduce mental decline in people at risk of dementia by half, a large study suggests.
Hearing loss is strongly associated with neurogenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, but it is as yet unclear whether it is a symptom or one of the causes of the disease.
A study of nearly 2,000 adults found that those most at risk of cognitive decline who wore the devices for three years reduced their chances of cognitive decline by 48 percent.
Experts estimate that up to 8 percent of dementia cases could be prevented by halting hearing loss, significantly reducing the global burden of the condition.
Hearing loss is strongly associated with neurogenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, but it is as yet unclear whether it is a symptom or one of the causes of the disease.
Professor Frank Lin, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, said: ‘These results provide compelling evidence that hearing loss treatment is a powerful tool to protect cognitive function in later life, and potentially in the future. long-term. delay a diagnosis of dementia.
“But any cognitive benefits of treating age-related hearing loss are likely to vary depending on an individual’s risk of cognitive decline.”
Age-related hearing loss is very common, with an estimated one in three people over 60 in the US having some degree of hearing loss, and a similar number in the UK.
Yet many people still do not seek help or wear hearing aids because of the perceived stigma surrounding them.
Previous research has suggested that hearing loss may contribute to more rapid brain wasting and rapid social isolation – another known risk factor for mental decline.
Scientists also believe that it can also make the brain work harder at the expense of other mental functions such as thinking and memory.
The study, published in the Lancet, is the first randomized control trial to show that hearing aids can have an impact on those most at risk of cognitive decline.
The participants were between the ages of 70 and 84 and were asked to take tests on executive function, language and memory that were completed at the start of the study and then three years later.
These include delayed word recall and remembering number sequences backwards, according to the findings presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.
Those most at risk of cognitive decline due to lower education and income, more diabetes and high blood pressure, or who live alone saw a 48 percent reduction in cognitive decline when they wore a hearing aid.
Experts said the findings provided further evidence of the importance of keeping the brain active.
Tara Spiers-Jones, president of the British Neuroscience Association, said: ‘This study adds to the evidence that keeping your brain active, including by treating hearing loss, can protect against degeneration during aging.’
Tom Dening, professor of dementia research at the University of Nottingham, said: ‘The results suggest that supporting people at higher risk of dementia with interventions such as hearing aids is important and likely to be effective.
“However, I would like to emphasize that anyone with hearing loss should bear in mind that wearing hearing aids has many benefits beyond potentially reducing your risk of dementia.
“You can hear better, function better socially, work more comfortably and use the tools as cool Bluetooth devices to stay connected. That is all good for well-being.’