A hearing aid before the age of 70 can dramatically reduce risk of dementia, new research finds
New research finds link between hearing aids and dementia
- New research suggests that using a hearing aid before the age of 70 can significantly reduce the risk of developing dementia.
- A study published in JAMA Neurology, involving nearly 3,000 participants, found a 61 per cent lower dementia risk for those under 70 who used hearing aids after being diagnosed with hearing loss.
- Despite these findings, only 17 per cent of people with moderate to severe hearing loss currently use hearing aids.
- UCLA Health proposes that hearing loss may contribute to dementia by causing faster brain deterioration, increasing cognitive strain, and limiting social engagement.
- Untreated age-related hearing loss, which affects a large proportion of older adults, is also linked to cognitive decline, depression, anxiety, and poor social relationships.