Hearing loss can contribute to mental decline, dementia

New Delhi: Hearing loss can lead to impaired memory and higher risk of dementia and ensuing Alzheimer’s disease in older people, health experts say. Deafness, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), refers to the complete loss of hearing ability in one or both ears, while “hearing impairment” refers to both complete and partial loss of hearing ability.

Nearly 360 million people, nearly one-tenth of them children, suffer from hearing loss worldwide. “Yes, hearing loss can lead to cognitive decline. Our two senses — vision and hearing — contribute to our cognitive development. When we are not able to hear well, most of the information that is delivered to us that way is not received properly. This way, less hearing slowly contributes to cognitive decline,” Suresh Singh Naruka, Senior Consultant - ENT at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals here, told. “It is important to understand that brain development and cognition development is a slow process. Intelligence is not a static thing; it is a dynamic and continuous process. It may not be visible in a day or two, but over a period of time one can witness the decline in cognitive behaviour,” Naruka added.

A study led by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the US suggests that hearing loss is associated with new onset of subjective cognitive concerns which may be indicative of early stage changes in cognition. The study examined 10,107 men aged 62 years. The team found that compared with men with no hearing loss, the relative risk of cognitive decline was 30 per cent higher among men with mild hearing loss, 42 per cent higher among men with moderate hearing loss and 54 per cent higher among men with severe hearing loss but who did not use hearing aids. The findings may help identify individuals at greater risk of cognitive decline. It may help identify individuals at greater risk of cognitive decline and could provide insights for earlier intervention and prevention, the researchers said. Hearing loss in children can hamper the development of speech and the brain. This can lead to shutting the child from worldly sounds, resulting in a disconnect from the social world. (IANS)

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