Older people with severe hearing loss are more likely to suffer from dementia. This was reported by the press service of Johns Hopkins University.
The study focused on 2413 people, about half of whom were over the age of 80. It turns out that there is a definite relationship between hearing loss and dementia. The prevalence of dementia among participants with significant or severe hearing loss was 61% higher than among participants with normal hearing. Hearing aid use reduced the prevalence of dementia by 32% among 853 participants with significant and severe hearing loss.
The authors note that previous similar studies were limited, as they relied on clinical data collection and did not consider vulnerable populations who did not have the opportunity or opportunity to see a doctor. For their study, the researchers collected data from participants through home tests and interviews and included many poor people and ethnic minorities.
So far, scientists aren’t clear on what exactly causes the link. They have several hypotheses, but more research is needed before they can be definitively stated.