A study has found that using hearing aids may help restore cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. However, it could not conclude that hearing aids prevent the progression of dementia.
Chinese researchers analyzed the effects of two years of hearing aid use on cognitive function in 703 older adults with both moderate or greater hearing loss and mild cognitive impairment. The researchers randomly divided the participants into two groups, having one group use hearing aids and providing the other group with education on hearing care and cognitive health.
After two years, 15.34% of those in the hearing aid group had recovered to normal levels of cognitive function. In contrast, the figure was just 2.36% in the health education group. The hearing aid group also showed better results in scores on the Clinical Dementia Rating scale, which assesses overall cognitive function, as well as in the memory domain. The proportion of participants who progressed to dementia was 3.09% in the hearing aid group and 4.74% in the health education group. Although fewer people in the hearing aid group progressed to dementia, the difference between the two groups was not large enough to conclude that hearing aids prevent dementia progression.
Hearing loss is cited as one of the factors that increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. In fact, it is known that by age 60, about one in three people experience age-related hearing loss. However, the researchers clearly stated that hearing aids did not significantly reduce dementia progression in this study. The fact that hearing aids can supplement hearing, making conversations easier and helping people communicate with those around them in daily life, is separate from whether they can prevent or treat dementia itself.
The findings of this study were published in the international journal JAMA Neurology.
Chinese researchers analyzed the effects of two years of hearing aid use on cognitive function in 703 older adults with both moderate or greater hearing loss and mild cognitive impairment. The researchers randomly divided the participants into two groups, having one group use hearing aids and providing the other group with education on hearing care and cognitive health.
After two years, 15.34% of those in the hearing aid group had recovered to normal levels of cognitive function. In contrast, the figure was just 2.36% in the health education group. The hearing aid group also showed better results in scores on the Clinical Dementia Rating scale, which assesses overall cognitive function, as well as in the memory domain. The proportion of participants who progressed to dementia was 3.09% in the hearing aid group and 4.74% in the health education group. Although fewer people in the hearing aid group progressed to dementia, the difference between the two groups was not large enough to conclude that hearing aids prevent dementia progression.
Hearing loss is cited as one of the factors that increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. In fact, it is known that by age 60, about one in three people experience age-related hearing loss. However, the researchers clearly stated that hearing aids did not significantly reduce dementia progression in this study. The fact that hearing aids can supplement hearing, making conversations easier and helping people communicate with those around them in daily life, is separate from whether they can prevent or treat dementia itself.
The findings of this study were published in the international journal JAMA Neurology.