New research finds an association with a 33% lower risk of dementia for hearing aid users, though no changes were observed in cognitive test scores.
A study published January 14 in Neurology finds that for older adults with moderate hearing loss, being prescribed hearing aids was associated with a lower risk of dementia, although it had little impact on cognitive test scores over a seven-year period.
Researchers found that after adjusting for age, sex, and health conditions, people prescribed hearing aids had a 33% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who were not.
“Hearing loss is more common as we age and previous research has found it may increase the risk of memory and thinking problems, including dementia, but less is known about how treating hearing loss with hearing aids may impact brain health,” says study author Joanne Ryan, PhD, of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, in a release. “Our study followed people with hearing loss, some of whom were prescribed hearing aids and some who were not, and found cognitive scores were similar for both groups. However, we also found that hearing aids were associated with a lower risk of dementia.”
The study followed 2,777 people in Australia with an average age of 75 who had moderate hearing loss but had never used hearing aids. During the seven-year study, 664 participants were prescribed hearing aids and 117 people developed dementia. Participants completed annual cognitive tests measuring skills like memory, language, and speed.
While average cognitive test scores were similar for both groups throughout the study, researchers identified a notable difference in dementia risk. The group prescribed hearing aids had a 5% risk of developing dementia, compared to an 8% risk for those without.
Additionally, those prescribed hearing aids had a 15% lower risk of developing cognitive impairment, which includes both cognitive decline and dementia, compared to the non-user group (36% vs 42%). Researchers also found that as participants used their hearing aids more often, their risk of dementia declined proportionally.
Ryan notes that the lack of improvement in cognitive scores was unexpected but could be because most participants had good cognitive health at the start of the study, which reduced the potential for measurable improvement.
“While we didn’t find a difference in cognitive scores, our study suggests that for older adults with hearing loss, using hearing aids may lower the risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, benefiting brain health,” says Ryan. “Further studies are needed to understand the ways hearing aids may support memory, thinking and brain health overall.”
A limitation of the study was that most participants were healthy at baseline, so the results may not be generalizable to people who are less healthy or already have cognitive problems.
Featured image: Dreamstime
