Hearing Loss in Middle Age Doubles Risk of Dementia: Study
Hearing loss in middle age was found to be associated with higher odds of cognitive decline and dementia later in life, according to a large study conducted in Taiwan published in JAMA Network Open on July 31st. Using data from more than 16,000 men and women, researchers found that a new diagnosis of hearing loss…
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Combined Vision and Hearing Loss May Increase Risk of Dementia
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Two studies reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2019 in Los Angeles found that experiencing multiple sensory impairments, such as vision and hearing problems, are associated with an increased risk of developing dementia in older adults. Emerging science shows that sensory dysfunction can increase the risk of dementia, and the new…
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New UK Study Suggests Wearing Hearing Aids May Reduce Dementia Risk
A new study out of the UK has found that people who wear a hearing aid for age-related hearing problems were able to maintain better brain function over time, compared to those who do not. The latest study helps build upon important research in recent years pulled together by the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention,…
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Articles Offer Insights on Discussing Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline with Patients
By Brian Taylor, AuD, Editor-at-Large The relationship between hearing loss and cognitive ability has received considerable attention in the academic literature and professional publications over the past several years and for good reason. Both conditions are harmful, and because of the rapidly aging population becoming more prevalent and are likely, without improved intervention strategies, to…
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Hearing Loss, Dementia and Cargo Cult Science
The preeminent American physicist, Richard Feynman, coined the term “cargo cult science” to describe practices that on the surface appear scientific, but upon closer scrutiny lack any of the precepts of the scientific method. A January 25th JAMA viewpoint article raises the red flag on the rise of pseudoscience in the care of older adults…
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HHTM Hearing News Round-up: This Week’s Highlights
It’s the middle of summer, so grab an iced tea (or an Arnie Palmer, if that’s your thing) and catch up on some industry news. FDA States that OTC Category Does Not Yet Exist The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates hearing devices, issued a letter to hearing aid manufacturers on July…
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Is pessimism about getting old a risk factor for dementia?
Pessimistic people, who worry their golden years will be filled with trials and troubles, may be causing those fears to come true. A recent study, however, suggests that fighting the negative stereotypes associated with aging could have broad benefits for public health. The new study finds that older Americans with negative beliefs about aging were…
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Burdens of Hearing Loss and Dementia Expected to Put Pressure on Current System
If you’re a newly minted Doctor of Audiology, chances are good that by the end of your career you will see a near doubling of the number of people with hearing loss in the United States. Fueled mainly by a steady shift toward older adults, a recent report in JAMA-Otolaryngology, indicated that by 2060 more…
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New Columbia University Study Adds Further Evidence that Hearing Aids May Improve Cognitive Function
NEW YORK — According to a newly published study in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, researchers at Columbia University found that older adults who use hearing aids performed significantly better on cognitive tests than those who did not–despite having poorer hearing than those who did not wear hearing aids. The study adds further evidence to a…
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The Latest on Cognitive Decline, Listening Effort and Hearing Aids
The prevalence of dementia is expected to soar as the average life expectancy increases, but recent estimates suggest that the age-specific incidence of dementia is declining in high-income countries. In the February 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Claudia Satizabal and colleagues report “robust evidence” of dementia’s decline. Using observational data collected from…
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