Is Hearing Loss a Risk Factor of Dementia?

There is more and more proof that hearing loss and dementia may be linked. Several studies have looked at the link between these two conditions and found that people with undiagnosed hearing loss may be more likely to get dementia or have issues with their cognitive abilities than those with normal hearing. While researchers are not sure exactly why there is a link, they do have a few theories. More information about the research and possible links are offered below. 

Accelerated Cognitive Decline

Although accelerated cognitive decline and hearing loss are two different health problems, research has shown they can sometimes intertwine and affect each other. To understand the connection, it’s important to understand them individually first.

Accelerated cognitive decline is when cognitive skills like memory, attention, speaking skills, and the ability to solve problems get worse quickly. It can be caused by a number of things, such as neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia, traumatic brain injuries, certain medicines, infections, and other underlying health conditions. When cognitive loss happens quickly, it can make it hard for a person to go about their daily lives and have a good quality of life.

On the other hand, hearing loss is when you can’t hear some or all sounds. It can happen slowly over time or quickly because of things like getting older, being around loud noises, your genes, taking certain medicines, getting an infection, or having an underlying medical condition. Hearing loss can be mild or severe, affecting your ability to talk, understand speech, and participate in social events fully.

Even though accelerated cognitive decline and hearing loss are two different issues, they can affect each other in several ways:

Communication problems: Hearing loss can make it hard to hear and understand sounds, which can make it hard to communicate. This can make people feel lonely, frustrated, and mentally overworked because it’s hard for them to understand conversations, follow directions, or have important conversations.

Sensory deprivation: Losing your hearing can lead to sensory deprivation, which means that your brain doesn’t get as much auditory input. This decreased sensory engagement may add to cognitive decline over time because it can hurt the brain’s ability to change and adapt and its cognitive reserve. Sensory deprivation and social isolation go hand in hand. More details about this are listed below.

Shared pathways: Vascular damage, inflammation, and neurodegeneration are all things that may be at the root of both hearing loss and dementia. Other shared risks include heart problems, diabetes, smoking, and some medications, which make it more likely that a person will get both conditions.

Since an accelerated cognitive decline and hearing loss could affect each other, it is important to get a proper evaluation and learn to handle these problems with an experienced medical team, including an audiologist.

Cognitive Load Theory

Working memory is made up of two main parts: the phonological loop, which is in charge of processing sounds, and the visuospatial sketchpad, which is in charge of processing images. When the working memory is too full, it strains the brain’s resources, leading to poor performance and trouble learning. As such, cognitive load theory states that people can only handle so much information at once and that learning and thinking may be slowed down when this limit is reached.

When people with hearing loss have trouble hearing and understanding sounds, it can be harder to do other mental tasks because it takes more work to process and understand speech sounds. When this happens, there is less brain power for other mental tasks, which could lead to a decrease in mental abilities and a higher risk of dementia. By helping people hear better and making it easier on their working memories, it might be possible to slow down the cognitive decline that is often caused by hearing loss and lower the risk of dementia.

How Does Social Isolation and Sensory Deprivation Come Into Play?

The link between hearing loss, dementia, and social isolation is not new. Socialization is vital for the health and well-being of everyone, especially older people, who are also at risk for hearing loss and dementia. Hearing loss can cause people to spend less time in social situations and do fewer things that stimulate their minds.

This decreased interaction leads to the brain taking a bit of a break. It’s like the old saying, if you don’t use it, you may lose it. In order to decrease the effect that socialization has on dementia, those who are avoiding social situations due to hearing loss need to have their hearing issues carefully monitored and follow the treatment plan provided by their audiology team.

This might mean consistently wearing hearing aids or other devices that make listening easier. The first step is recognizing you might have a hearing issue. Common signs are a ringing in the ear, called tinnitus, or the inability to hear conversations in a crowded room. You might also have hearing issues if soft sounds are missed, and communication has become increasingly muddled.

It’s Important to Pay Attention to Your Risks for Both Dementia and Hearing Loss 

Even though there is growing evidence that hearing loss and dementia are linked, more study is needed to fully understand this link. In the meantime, it’s important for you to have your hearing checked regularly and take the right steps to meet your hearing needs. Additionally, strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes activities that stimulate your brain, lowering your chance of dementia. Early diagnosis, the right medical care, and changes in lifestyle can help control and lessen the effects of these conditions. 

It’s also important to remember that even though there are signs that hearing loss and dementia are linked, having one doesn’t mean you will automatically have issues with the other one. The development of both hearing loss and dementia are also affected by outside factors such as genetics, lifestyle, exposure to noise in the case of hearing loss, and general health. If you’re concerned about your risk of hearing loss, talk with our Hearing Associates of Las Vegas team today. We can explore your risk factors and help you develop a plan for hearing health.