Deterioration of hearing and eyesight may be risk factors for dementia

Wednesday, April 7, 2021 (HealthDay News)-The combination of hearing and loss of vision is linked to mental decline and an increased risk of dementia, but having only one of these disorders , Higher risk, new South has nothing to do with Korean studies find.

It’s not clear why reduced sensation in both, not just one, increases the risk of dementia, but research leaders had a theory linked to the importance of socializing to keep the brain sharp.

Dr. Jin Hyun-ju of Kangwon National University Chuncheon Medical University said, “Elderly people with only visual or hearing disabilities can usually maintain social contact and are not as isolated or depressed as people with both disabilities. “.

“But if someone has both disorders, it can increase the risk of isolation and depression, and previous studies may later affect the risk of dementia and thinking skills. I found it, “explained Jhoo.

New study published online on April 7 Neurology, Included 6,520 people between the ages of 58 and 101, whose visual and hearing impairments were assessed by asking questions about the use of eyeglasses or hearing aids.

At the beginning of the study, 932 had normal vision and hearing, nearly 3,000 had visual or hearing impairment, and just over 2,600 had both impairments.

In addition, researchers also found that at the beginning of the study, dementia doubled among people with both disabilities (8%) than people with one disability (2.4%) or either (2.3%). I found that it is common.

Participants’ memory and thinking skills were also evaluated every two years for six years. During that time, 245 people developed dementia. Of the approximately 2,000 people with both disabilities, 146 developed dementia, 69 of the approximately 2,400 people with one disability and 14 of the 737 people without disabilities.

After adjusting for factors such as gender, education, and income, researchers found that people with both hearing and visual disabilities are twice as likely to develop dementia as people with one or both disabilities. I concluded that it was expensive.

Researchers also found that people with both hearing and visual disabilities showed a greater decline in their thinking test scores.

“Depending on the degree of hearing and vision loss, loss of sensory function can be painful and can affect our daily lives,” Jhoo said in a journal news release. “But our findings suggest that losing both may be of particular concern.”

However, one US expert said the study left many unanswered questions. Dr. Darius Cohan directs otology and neurology at Lenox Hill Hospital and Manhattan Eye Year Throat Hospital in New York City. Examining the findings, he said the study was weakened by the fact that it relied on “self-reporting” of people with vision or deafness (not clinical tests).

Also, it is not clear how well the survey results will be translated into a non-Korean population. “One of the limitations they haven’t addressed is the social / cultural differences in family and social interaction with older people between South Korea and other countries / cultures,” says Kohan.

Finally, he said that in the United States and around the world, hearing loss alone is linked to an increased likelihood of cognitive decline.

“Many studies around the world have documented that deafness in the elderly promotes isolation, poor communication, withdrawal from interaction with others, and leads to disproportionate cognitive decline.” Mr. Cohan said.

For more information

The American Academy of Family Physics dementia..

Source: Dr. Darius Cohan, Dean of Otology / Neurology, Lenox Hill Hospital and Manhattan I Year Throat Hospital, New York City. Neurology, News Release, April 7, 2021