Findings from a new British study suggest that the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants may reduce the risk of dementia by slowing cognitive decline, such as memory loss. Neuroscience News Reprinted from JAMA Neurology.
Researchers at the Alzheimer’s Research Center in Great Britain have found that the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants by people with hearing impairments reduces long-term cognitive decline by 19%. The use of hearing aids also led to a 3% improvement in cognitive test scores, including an individual’s ability to solve problems.
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Hearing tests.. and unanswered questions
Dr Susan Mitchell, policy officer at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: ‘There is growing evidence that people who lose their hearing as they age are at a higher risk of developing dementia. link, but there are still unanswered questions.”
Dr Mitchell added: ‘Dementia research has come a long way in recent months, but there is still a long way to go and interventions that can reduce people’s risk of dementia should be a priority for healthcare organisations. Hearing tests should be readily available if there was concern [بشأن ضعف السمع لدى كبار السن]”So that appropriate supports, such as hearing aids, can be provided at an early stage and help maintain brain health.”
more at risk
“Moving forward, researchers need to determine how hearing loss affects dementia risk. There is also a need to know who is at greatest risk and who can most effectively benefit from interventions such as hearing aids.”
The researchers also recommended conducting further studies on the increase in cognition and the overall positive effect of the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants in older people with hearing loss.
