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Hearing Loss: Dementia's Overlooked Threat?
9 Dec
Summary
- Midlife hearing loss increases dementia risk up to fourfold.
- Addressing hearing loss can cut dementia risk by 60%.
- Untreated hearing loss is the largest modifiable dementia risk factor.
Doctor Amir Khan has highlighted hearing loss as a critical yet often ignored factor in dementia development. He explained that untreated hearing issues in midlife can elevate dementia risk by as much as four times. This is thought to occur as the brain expends more energy on processing sound, diverting resources from other cognitive functions.
Khan suggests that focusing on movement, sleep quality, diet, and regular eye and ear checks can potentially decrease dementia risk by 60 percent. This aligns with research indicating that managing hearing loss is the most impactful lifestyle change for preventing cognitive decline.
Studies, including those from The Lancet, identify midlife hearing loss as a greater modifiable risk than smoking or lack of exercise. Using hearing aids has been shown to significantly lower the risk of mild cognitive impairment progressing to dementia, underscoring the brain's need to reduce listening effort and maintain social engagement.
