Relationship Found Between Hearing Loss and Dementia

Recent studies are suggesting a connection between hearing loss and dementia.  The relationship is being studied by Johns Hopkins University as well as other institutions.  Research which was published in the "Archives of Neurology", found that seniors with hearing loss are significantly more likely to develop dementia over time than those who retain their hearing.  The study also found that the greater the hearing loss, the higher their likelihood of developing dementia.  The Johns Hopkins press release on the study stated that the reason for the link between the two conditions is unknown, but investigators suggest that a common pathology may underlie both or that the strain of decoding sounds over the years may overwhelm the brains of people with hearing loss, leaving them more vulnerable to dementia.  They also speculate that hearing loss could lead to dementia by making individuals more socially isolated, a known risk factor for dementia and other cognitive disorders.  These findings have prompted the Better Hearing Institute (BHI), to recommend that all people take hearing loss seriously.  BHI encourages all people ages 50 and older to get their hearing tested by an audiologist.  Proper hearing aid use for those with hearing loss will reduce the amount of strain needed to hear and decode speech, which may reduce the likelihood of dementia.