How Your Ears and Cognitive Function Are Connected
There is a remarkable connection between our auditory system and cognitive function.
When healthy, your ears provide constant stimulation to your brain, providing information necessary to continually make decisions about what’s happening in your surroundings.
Normal hearing is the baseline level of “exercise” your brain requires. As hearing loss develops, your ears begin to deliver less stimulation to your brain, which means it will do less work.
Like the old adage “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it,” decreased stimulation to the brain causes it to atrophy.
Many of the patients who come to us after an extended period of untreated hearing loss are already beginning to see early signs of cognitive decline and dementia because their brains are no longer receiving the auditory stimuli they need.
For this reason, as forward-thinking doctors of audiology we have placed great importance on offering regular cognitive skills screenings as a component of an effective treatment plan for hearing loss.
Three Studies that Connect Hearing Aids to Improved Cognitive Health
Study in Melbourne
A 2020 study found that treating hearing loss with hearing aids has a positive impact on cognitive health and an improved quality of life over time
JAMA Neurology Study
Moreover, a recent meta-analysis of 31 studies involving 137,484 participants, published in JAMA Neurology, demonstrates that using “hearing aids and cochlear implants is associated with a decreased risk of subsequent cognitive decline.”
Research Published in ACHIEVE
The analysis provided by the other two studies is supported by the release of the recent ACHIEVE study, which found that “hearing intervention slowed down loss of thinking and memory abilities by 48% over 3 years.”
Our Holistic Approach to Hearing Healthcare
Given the clear link between hearing loss and cognitive decline, incorporating cognitive assessments into a full-service treatment package for hearing loss makes sense.
Cognitive problems can often present as listening disorders and vice versa. Through a comprehensive series of evaluations, doctors of audiology can help determine exactly what’s happening. Depending on the results of the cognitive assessment, the next step may involve a referral to other medical specialists.
