What is the link between hearing loss and Alzheimer's and dementia?

, June 7, 2020 /PRNewswire-/
Biovalley has the power to stimulate the brain, which is why hearing loss can have far-reaching health effects -- especially among older peopleAbout a third of people aged 65 to 74 in the United States have hearing loss, according to the National Institutes of HealthA 2016 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that about two-thirds of adults aged 70 and older have hearing impairment, which may affect daily communication, said Costantino Iadecola, director of the Fair Family Brain and Psychiatry Institute at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, is linked to cognitive decline, but more research is needed to determine the extent of the linkA 2011 study published in the journal Archives of The Age of(now known as AMA Neurology) found that people with mild hearing loss are nearly twice as likely to develop dementia as people with normal hearingPeople with moderate amnesia are three times more likely to develop the disease than normal people, while people with severe amnesia are five times more likely to develop the disease than normal peoplepicture source: "What we do know is that people with hearing loss are more likely to develop dementiaThis does not mean that hearing loss causes dementia, nor does it mean that dementia causes hearing lossAbout 5 million people in the U.Shad Alzheimer's and related dementia in 2014, about 1.6 percent of the U.Spopulation, according to the U.SCenters for Disease Control and PreventionBy 2060, this figure is expected to increase to 13.9 million, or about 3.3 per cent of the total populationIadecola says dementia occurs for a variety of reasons, including blood vessels, neurogenesis and neuroimmune conditions"Each has a different effect on the brainIadecola says one theory behind the link between dementia and hearing loss is that dementia produces certain conditions that may affect hearingHe added that, in the opposite way, hearing loss can somehow impair brain function, said Nicholas Reed, a hearing scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in, hearing loss is "highly associated with social isolation and loneliness", and "we have long known that social isolation and loneliness are associated with important age-related health outcomes, such as dementia and cognitive decline."Reed is a member of a federally funded team that studies the potential of hearing therapy to reduce cognitive decline in older adultsThis is a study that could change the quality of life of future generations of older peopleis not expected to see results in the next few yearsAt the moment, Reed said, while current studies have not come to a conclusion as to whether hearing aids are helpful, "I think many of us believe that hearing care does help." "
, but he says not all people with mild hearing impairment need to wear hearing aids right away"You can keep your hearing by adjusting the way you live your lifeMake sure that the sound you're facing is what you want to hear, make sure you avoid background noise in important conversations, and use a simple megaphone in more difficult situationspicture source: He advises people to check their hearing regularly from their 60s and wear earplugs at noisy sporting events or concerts, regardless of ageReed points out that a 2017 report by the Lancet International Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care proves the importance of preventionHearing impairment is one of the nine potentially variable risk factors that contribute to about 35 percent of dementia cases, with hearing loss accounting for 9 percent, the report said"This means that if all hearing loss is eliminated, 9% of dementia cases could theoretically be eliminated," said Reed However, he said, this was the conclusion, assuming there were no other factors maintain overall health, such as adequate exercise and prevention of high blood pressure, may also affect hearing health "In terms of health, as we get older, our main concern is to maintain our ability to work independently as much as possible, and hearing is a central factor," said Iadecola " (biovalleybioon.com) references: Hearing loss and the connection to Alzheimer's disease, dementia