Making Sense! Spotlight On Hearing as a Risk Factor for Dementia
- Dementia Society of America
- Aug 27, 2018
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 14
Hearing connects us to the world, helping us communicate, work, socialize and be alert to potential danger.
Hearing impairment, likely affecting over 30% of seniors, touches all aspects of daily living. It contributes to depression, loneliness, poor job performance, and in the long run, may lead to Dementia. It is thought by some, that untreated hearing loss could be responsible for 9% of Dementia worldwide. The good news is that healthy lifestyle choices that include correction of hearing loss, might possibly delay or prevent one-third of Dementia cases.
Here is a guide to understanding hearing loss and what to do about it:
What causes hearing loss?
Age
Genetics (family history)
Chronic illness (type-2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular, autoimmune, and infectious diseases)
Medication (diuretics, antibiotics, chemotherapy, others)
Environment (noise, pollution, industrial chemicals)
Head trauma
Smoking
And more...
We can’t change our genetics, but we can take steps to affect the other factors.
What are the types of hearing loss?
Peripheral hearing loss occurs in the ear, while central loss involves parts of the brain that process auditory signals. Hearing loss is often a mix of both types.
How does hearing loss cause Dementia?
It increases social isolation, reduces stimulation to the brain, and/or it may arise from the same brain changes that cause Dementia.
What does testing involve?
To be thorough, take three tests:
Ear testing: wear headphones while identifying short sounds played at different volumes and pitches.
Central auditory processing (CAP) evaluation: checks speech reception and word recognition using the Staggered Spondaic Word Test (SSW) and the Synthetic Sentence Identification with Ipsilateral Competing Message test (SSI-ICM).
Cognition: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), available online, for free, in multiple languages and dialects, is one page and takes ten minutes. MOCA detects mild cognitive impairment and early dementia.
What treatment is available?
Hearing aids make sounds louder and easier to pick up.
Middle or inner (cochlear) ear implants boost signals that go to the brain.
Treatment slows mental decline and improves cognitive test scores, so sooner is better.
What lifestyle strategies support hearing?
Moderate alcohol consumption
Bone-strengthening exercise
Antioxidant (Mediterranean, DASH) diets
Stop smoking
Correcting hearing loss improves life enjoyment, daily function, and brain health. Take action today to help counter this modifiable risk factor for Dementia.
References:
Contributing Blogger: Jennie Ann Freiman, MD, author of The SEEDS Plan.
Disclaimer: Dementia Society of America (DSA) provides educational content only and does not offer medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your medical care. DSA content is created by both human and computer-generated means and is reviewed for accuracy; however, errors may occur. Views expressed by third-party contributors do not necessarily reflect those of DSA. Unless expressly stated, DSA does not endorse or guarantee any third-party products, services, organizations, or external content. All DSA content is copyrighted and/or trademarked and may not be used without written permission.
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