Mental Acuity And Hearing Loss, What is The Link?

A term that gets frequently tossed around in context with getting older is “mental acuity”. Most health care or psychology professionals call it sharpness of the mind in layman’s terms, But the measurement of mental acuity takes into account several factors. One’s mental acuity is influenced by several factors like memory, concentration, and the ability to comprehend and understand.

Mind-altering conditions such as dementia are commonly considered the cause of a decrease in mental acuity, but loss of hearing has also been consistently linked as another major factor in cognitive decline.

The Relationship Between Dementia And Your Hearing

In fact, Johns Hopkins University carried out one study that found a connection between hearing loss, dementia and a reduction in cognitive ability. Through a study of 2,000 people function between the ages of 75-84 during a six-year period, researchers found that participants who had hearing loss had a 30 to 40 percent faster decline in cognitive function than those with normal hearing.

Memory and concentration were two of the functions highlighted by the study in which researchers observed a reduction in mental capabilities. And though hearing loss is commonly regarded as a normal part of aging, one Johns Hopkins professor cautioned against downplaying its importance.

Complications Due to Hearing Impairments Beyond Memory Loss

Not only loss of memory but stress, periods of unhappiness, and depression are also more likely in those that have loss of hearing according to another study. Additionally, that study’s hearing-impaired individuals were more likely to become hospitalized or injured in a fall.

A study of 600 older adults in 2011 concluded that participants who didn’t suffer from hearing loss were not as likely to develop dementia than those who did have loss of hearing. And an even more revealing stat from this study was that the probability of someone developing a mind-weakening condition and hearing loss had a direct correlation. People with more extreme loss of hearing were as much as five times more likely to encounter symptoms of dementia.

And other studies internationally, besides this Johns Hopkins study, have also drawn attention to the loss of mental aptitude and hearing loss.

International Research Backs up a Relationship Between Hearing Loss And Cognitive Decline

Published in 2014, a University of Utah study of 4,400 seniors discovered similar findings in that those with hearing impairments developed dementia more frequently and sooner than those with normal hearing.

One study in Italy took it a step further by studying two separate causes of age-related hearing loss. Through the examination of peripheral and central hearing loss, researchers determined that participants with central hearing loss had a higher probability of having a mild cognitive disability than those with average hearing or peripheral hearing loss. Typically, people struggle to comprehend words they hear if they have central hearing loss, which is caused by an inability to process sound.

In the Italian study, people with lower scores on speech comprehension assessments also had poorer scores on cognitive tests involving thought and memory.

Although the cause of the link between loss of hearing and mental impairment is still unknown, researchers are confident in the connection.

The Way Loss of Hearing Can Impact Mental Acuity

However, researchers involved with the study in Italy do have a theory that revolves around the brain’s temporal cortex. When talking about that potential cause, the study’s lead author highlighted the importance of the brain’s superior temporal gyrus which are ridges on the cerebral cortex that are found above the ear and play a role in the comprehension of spoken words.

The auditory cortex serves as a receiver of information and undergoes changes as we grow older along with the memory areas of the temporal cortex which could be a conduit to a loss of neurons in the brain.

What to do if You Have Hearing Loss

A pre-clinical stage of dementia, as reported by the Italian study, is related to a mild form of mental impairment. It should definitely be taken seriously despite the pre-clinical diagnosis. And the number of Us citizens who might be at risk is staggering.

Out of all people, two of three over the age of 75 have lost some ability to hear, with considerable loss of hearing in 48 million Americans. Hearing loss even impacts 14 percent of those between the ages of 45 and 64.

Fortunately there are ways to mitigate these risks with a hearing aid, which can offer a considerable enhancement in hearing function for most people. This is according to that lead author of the Italian study. To see if you need hearing aids make an appointment with a hearing care specialist.