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Hearing Loss And Cognitive Decline And Dementia

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Losing our hearing as we age is scary. It causes changes beyond just the ability to hear things properly. Hearing loss modifies the way we perceive the world, and it may even alter our brains in dramatic ways over time. Discover how hearing loss might indicate cognitive decline and what you can do to try to prevent this from happening.

Cognitive Decline and Hearing Loss

Scientists aren?t precisely sure how hearing loss relates to cognitive decline and dementia, but there are studies that show a correlation between both events. What scientist found is that people with hearing loss have greater chances of cognitive decline versus those that don?t show any hearing difficulties.

Johns Hopkins Study

A study published in 2013 by Johns Hopkins University followed nearly 2,000 people with an average age of 77. Researchers found that people who had deafness that interfered with normal conservations were 24 percent more likely to have diminished cognitive functions. This particular study followed participants for six years. The basic conclusion was that hearing loss, especially in older adults, may speed up dementia and the decline of the brain.

Factors of Hearing Loss and Decline

A 2011 study, also by Johns Hopkins, determined that worse hearing loss led to greater cognitive decline. Patients with moderate deafness were three times as likely to develop dementia in older age versus those with normal hearing. Although scientists aren?t sure why there?s a connection, they have

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