Researchers at the University of Melbourne tested in-ear hearing aids on nearly 100 adults aged 62 to 82 with hearing loss. Scientists link impaired brain function with hearing loss, which affects around 32 percent of people over 55 and more than 70 percent of people over 70. Medicine also identifies hearing loss as a modifiable risk factor for dementia. Although there are successful treatments for it, doctors are currently unable to find a successful treatment for itcognitive decline or dementia.
Hearing aids in the ear against dementia
Researchers assessed participants before and 18 months after hearing aid fitting. They tested the subjects on hearing ability, cognitive function, speech perception, quality of life, physical activity, loneliness, mood and medical health. After 18 months of hearing aid use, the research team found that speech perception, self-reported hearing impairment and quality of life had significantly improved.
Notably, 97.3 percent of study participants demonstrated either clinically significant improvement or stability in executive function. So this has improved their mental ability to plan, organize information and initiate tasks. Women in particular showed significantimprovements in working memory,as well as most other cognitive functions assessed. They used this to think and make decisions.
Important study results
When people often use hearing aids in the ear, it has the effect of improving cognitive function. However, women wore the devices much more carefully than men. Julia Sarant is a professor and principal investigator at the University of Melbourne. She claims that improved brain function is not typically seen in older adults. She says that although there are successful treatments for hearing loss, diseases such as Alzheimer's or dementia cannot yet be cured.
“Further research is underway to compare the cognitive outcomes of a larger sample with those of a comparison group of older people of healthy age with typical hearing. ThisStudyis a positive step in exploring hearing aid treatment to delay cognitive decline.”
