New Research Reinforces the Link Between Hearing Loss and Dementia
Over the past several years, the evidence connecting untreated hearing loss to dementia has only continued to grow. The landmark Lancet Commission report identified hearing loss as the single largest modifiable risk factor for dementia, and the widely cited ACHIEVE study found that treating hearing loss slowed the decline of memory and thinking skills by nearly half among older adults already at higher risk for cognitive decline.
Now, a new study adds another compelling data point to the picture: researchers estimate that hearing loss may account for nearly a third of all dementia cases among older adults, from a population-wide perspective.
What the Study Found
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, working alongside the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study, set out to answer a specific question: how much of the dementia diagnosed in a community-based population of older adults could be attributed to hearing loss?
The study followed 2,946 residents ages 66 to 90 across four senior communities. All participants were free of dementia at the start of the study and had either clinically diagnosed hearing loss (confirmed through audiometric testing) or self-reported hearing difficulty.
After eight years of follow-up, the researchers found that, from a population-level standpoint, having any degree of clinically diagnosed hearing loss was associated with a 32% increase in dementia risk. Interestingly, self-reported hearing loss alone did not show the same association. Based on these findings, the study authors concluded that treating hearing loss could potentially delay the onset of dementia for a significant number of older adults, and suggested that public health efforts focused on identifying and addressing clinically significant hearing loss could offer broad benefits for dementia prevention.
It’s Never Too Late to Address Hearing Loss
This research reinforces an encouraging message: treating hearing loss, even later in life, may be one of the more effective ways to help prevent or delay dementia.
On the flip side, researchers have identified a few key ways that untreated hearing loss may contribute to dementia risk:
- Increased cognitive load. When hearing loss goes untreated, the brain has to work harder just to process sound, leaving fewer cognitive resources available for memory and clear thinking.
- Faster brain atrophy. While some brain shrinkage is a normal part of aging, research has found that people with untreated hearing loss tend to experience it at an accelerated rate.
- Greater risk of social isolation and loneliness. A separate large-scale analysis found that loneliness itself may raise dementia risk by roughly 31%, adding another layer to how hearing loss can indirectly affect cognitive health.
The encouraging part is that these risk factors are largely avoidable, starting with two simple steps:
1. Schedule an appointment with a licensed hearing care professional. Our team can evaluate your hearing, and if hearing loss is present, help you find the right solution for your individual needs.
2. Treat any hearing loss you may have. With guidance from a hearing care professional and today’s advanced hearing technology, getting back to your best hearing doesn’t have to take long.
Taking these steps means you won’t have to miss another moment of life, big or small — all while helping protect your cognitive health and overall quality of life for years to come.