Heymann Visser Audiologists

Hearing Loss and Alzheimer’s:

Is there a link?

Studies show that elderly people with untreated hearing loss are more
likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

 

How does hearing loss affect my brain function?

With hearing loss (even a slight hearing loss), the processing of sound
is compromised and the ability to understand speech declines. When
the hearing areas of the brain become weaker, the higher level brain
areas attempt to compensate for these weaker areas which leaves them
unavailable to do their primary work like thinking, problem solving and
reasoning.

How can hearing aids help?

Research found that hearing aid users had no greater risk of cognitive
decline than those with normal hearing. The benefits of hearing aid
technology on higher level brain function (cognition) are well documented.
Hearing aids help your brain to focus on the primary cognitive jobs.

What else can I do to help my brain?

People with hearing loss often avoid social situations out of frustration or
embarrassment. However, research shows that being in social situations
is one of the best things to do to excercise and maintain your brain.
Reference: Amieva et al., 2015; Packer, 2015