- The lack of effective treatments for dementia highlights the importance of identifying modifiable risk factors to facilitate the prevention of dementia.
- A new large, observational study shows that hearing loss was associated with an increased risk of dementia, and the use of hearing aids could attenuate this risk.
- The rate of adoption of hearing aids is low among individuals with hearing loss.
- These findings underscore the need for policies that improve the diagnosis of hearing loss and the adoption and accessibility of hearing aids.
Although the symptoms of dementia often appear later in life, the underlying changes in the brain tend to begin in middle age. Similarly, the prevalence of
A recent large study published in
Notably, individuals with hearing loss using hearing aids were at a similar risk of dementia as those without hearing loss, suggesting that remediation of hearing loss could reduce the risk of dementia.
The adoption rate of hearing aids is usually
Dr. David Loughrey, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, said:
“This study contributes to a growing body of research that has linked hearing loss to an increased risk of dementia and other adverse health outcomes among older adults. It is…
Read the full article here