Hearing aids may help reduce risk after hearing loss

To investigate how hearing aids affect dementia, researchers analyzed data on approximately 438,000 people in the UK.

the information is UK Biobankis a database containing detailed health and genetic data for approximately 500,000 people.

A quarter (111,822) of those analyzed experienced hearing loss, and only 13,092 (12%) of this group used hearing aids.

After reviewing the data, researchers found that hearing-impaired people who did not use hearing aids were 42% more likely to develop all-cause dementia.

On the other hand, there was no increased risk for hearing loss in hearing aid wearers.

This was somewhat unexpected, said Dr. Huang Jiang of the Center for Health Care and Policy Research. Shandong UniversityChina, and the first author of the study.

“What surprised me was that people with hearing aids were just as likely to be diagnosed with dementia as people with perfect hearing,” he told Healthline. .

The researchers arrived at these results even after considering other factors that may contribute to dementia. We also conducted an extensive analysis of

Fan said the findings from the new study are important.

“Our study is the best yet, suggesting that hearing aids may be a minimally invasive and cost-effective treatment to mitigate the potential impact of hearing loss on dementia. We provide evidence of.”

Previous studies have confirmed the link between dementia and hearing loss. But how exactly are the two related?

Unfortunately, “the exact link is still unknown”, Dr. Adam Kaufmanotorhinolaryngologist University of Maryland Medical Center Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine.

However, research is ongoing, and scientists and doctors have a few hypotheses.

1. Sensory deprivation

The first is that hearing loss leads to sensory deprivation, which has massive consequences.

For example, Kaufman told Healthline, this includes “structural changes within brain regions such as the hippocampus.”

“These structural changes can reduce cognitive reserve and, in turn, reduce resilience in dementia,” he said.

Auditory stimulation is essential and agreed Dr. Anna NordwigNeurologist and Assistant Professor of Neurology at the New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine Memory Disorders Clinic.

“Perfect hearing opens up input to the upper temporal lobe of the brain, which is the memory hub,” she tells Healthline.

“Diversity is said to be the spice of life, [and] Auditory diversity is the necessary spice for an active brain. ”

2. Cognitive pathways

It is believed that neurons and pathways associated with hearing and cognition may be involved.

One explanation “proposes an interplay between altered brain activity in the medial temporal lobe during hearing difficulties and the organic pathology of Alzheimer’s that causes brain changes.” . Dr. Oliver Y. Chinotorhinolaryngologist Houston ENT and Allergy.

If the neurons and pathways associated with hearing are not stimulated, our cognitive abilities can be affected.

“If you’re not stimulating the central neurons of the auditory pathway, [you’re not] “We get peripheral stimulation to keep these neurons healthy for cognition.” Dr. Courtney VolkerBoard Certified Neurologist and Director of the Adult and Pediatric Cochlear Implant Programs at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence St. John’s Health Center.

She explained that cells can “atrophy” (die) if they are not used.brain cell death linked For dementia onset and symptom acceleration.

3. Cognitive load

A final theory has to do with the brain being “overworked” by hearing loss.

“For people with hearing loss, the brain is working ‘out of hours’, trying to hear and understand what is being said,” he explained. Dr. Jim JacksonProfessor of Medicine at Vanderbilt Medical Center, Clearing the Fog: From Surviving to Prospering in the Long Covid – A Practical Guide.

As a result, he told Healthline, he doesn’t have enough resources to get back and forth, and “other cognitive systems are suffering.”

age-related hearing loss can start Diagnosed with most dementia in their 40s break out For those aged 65 and over. If the two are related, how can this large “time gap” be explained?

An important area that needs to be investigated to explain this relates to atrophy of neurons, especially those used in hearing, Voelker said.

“Over the years, if these neurons become unhealthy in the brain, it could be associated with cognitive decline,” she said.

Jackson agreed that the delay was likely the result of a cumulative process.

“Maybe [that] Hearing loss must be of some severity before it begins to increase the risk of cognitive decline, and this threshold is usually not met until later in life,” he said.

There are three types of hearing loss, each with a different cause. Dr. Anna Kiman otolaryngologist and associate professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

• Conductive hearing loss. “It’s caused by abnormalities involving the ear canal (the ear canal) and the middle ear (tympanic membrane, middle ear cavity, and ossicles) that block the conduction of sound to the inner ear (the cochlea),” she told Healthline.
• Sensorineural hearing loss. “this is [caused by] Nerve loss affecting the cochlea hair cells or auditory nerves,” Kim shared.
• Mixed hearing loss. This form includes components of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

Whether dementia causes hearing loss “remains hotly debated,” Kim said. But how does dementia affect hearing loss?

“When dementia impairs higher cognitive functions, it can lead to hearing loss,” she explained.

“While the ear picks up sound and acts as the first point of entry, the brain ultimately filters out background and unwanted signals to ensure that speech and words are clear and meaningful.”

Many people with hearing loss do not wear hearing aids. but why?

“The most common reason is that patients are not satisfied with the sound quality they are receiving,” Kaufman revealed.

However, he noted that a trained audiologist can tailor the aid to the patient’s needs.

Another problem, according to Chin, is that “hearing aids are expensive.” Some start with about $900other prices may exceed $6,000.

Two more reasons relate to social stigma. For example, “Hearing loss is associated with aging, [people] I don’t want to admit it,” Voelker said.

Avoid hearing aids, as many people consider them unsightly and bulky.

“But hearing aids have come a long way,” says Voelker. “Some of them are completely inside your ears and you can’t even see them.”

Kaufman added that social trends may help change attitudes toward hearing aids.

“The prevalence of young people wearing devices like AirPods in their ears may be beginning to break the stigma against wearing anything in their ears.”

For some people, gradual hearing loss is hereditary and inevitable. However, whether predisposed or not, it is essential to be aware of environmental contributors.

To reduce the risk of hearing loss, Voelker suggested wearing protective gear (such as earplugs) in noisy places such as concerts, places of worship, and even restaurants.

Not sure if somewhere is considered noisy?

“You can download a free decibel reader app that tells you when noise is dangerous,” she revealed.

Pay attention to sound levels from devices like earpods and TVs, Kaufman said. “These devices should be loud enough that you can comfortably hear them, but not so loud that you can hear them when they are not directly in front of you.”

Finally, Chin called attention to the underlying health factors associated with hearing loss. Diabetes, high blood pressureand Hyperlipidemia”

If you have any concerns about your hearing, Chin recommends seeing a doctor. If necessary, we may refer you to an otolaryngologist or otolaryngologist who can check your ears for structural damage.

“There are treatments that have been successful,” says Voelker. “This is just letting the patient know to be proactive.”