If you experience self-reported hearing loss, then you could be at a greater risk of developing dementia in your 70s and beyond.
A six-year study from the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) and UNSW looked at data from 1,037 Australian men and women aged 70 to 90 enrolled in CHeBA’s Sydney Memory & Ageing Study from 2005 to 2017.
Participants who reported moderate-to-severe hearing difficulties had poorer cognitive performances overall – particularly in the areas of Attention/Processing Speed and Visuospatial Ability.
They also had a 1.5 times greater risk for MCI or dementia Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) – a slight but noticeable decline in cognitive abilities – or dementia at the six-year follow-up.
With 74% of Australians aged over 70 experiencing some form of hearing loss, this is a significant finding.
But there is a silver lining – the researchers say the findings could help them develop new ways of reducing this risk.
A 2017 Lancet report has already shown that addressing hearing loss in mid-life, such as using a hearing aid, could reduce the likelihood of developing dementia by 9%.
Welcome news.
