The Link Between Hearing Loss And Cognitive Decline

Hearing is one of the most important senses that we use to interact and engage with our surroundings. It allows us to enjoy many of life’s pleasures such as music, and it helps us communicate with other people. However, it’s also one of the first senses that we start to lose either due to aging or exposure to loud noises. Our hearing ability will eventually diminish, and we’ll become more susceptible to hearing loss.

Researchers have attempted to find correlations between hearing loss and other health-related factors. In recent years, they have discovered a strong link between our hearing ability and our cognitive ability. In particular, it seems that the more we face cognitive decline, the more likely we are to also have hearing loss. This has led to some growing concerns about the long-term effects of hearing loss and how it affects both our brain function and overall health.

Can Hearing Loss Lead to Cognitive Decline?

The discovery of this link has created many concerns. Studies have shown that people with hearing loss are more likely to experience cognitive decline than those who have normal hearing. The decline can occur in a number of different ways. Some people might experience difficulties remembering certain things, and others might have difficulties understanding conversations and processing information.

It’s unsure why there is a link between cognitive decline and hearing loss, but there are a couple of theories.

Link Between Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline

One theory suggests that hearing loss puts extra strain on our brains, causing us to direct more of our cognitive attention to hear. This is often seen in people that have hearing loss. They might find it difficult to focus on certain sounds and conversations in a room, and they might find it harder to hear certain sounds. Since this causes extra strain on our brains, it can lead to mental fatigue, exhaustion and even impair cognitive functions.

Another theory suggests that the link is caused by hearing loss leading to social isolation, and this could potentially lead to cognitive decline. When someone is impacted by hearing loss, they may find it hard to participate in social activities with their friends, family members and their peers. This can make it hard to maintain social relationships in person, resulting in social isolation and ultimately depression. These two factors have been linked to a decline in cognitive function. This is because it’s important for one to participate in social interactions if one wants to maintain brain health.

Evidence also suggests that hearing loss can lead to changes in the structure of the brain. These changes could potentially lead to cognitive decline. Studies have found that people with hearing loss have reduced brain volume in certain areas, and this also changes the way that the brain communicates and carries out bodily physical and mental functions.

Can Hearing Loss be Improved to Avoid Cognitive Decline?

While hearing loss is permanent in many cases, research has shown that proper treatment can prevent the gradual decline in cognitive function. In particular, the use of hearing aids has been shown to improve cognitive function in those who are affected by hearing loss. This is likely because hearing aids reduce the strain that our brain faces when we are impacted by hearing loss. Since we have to strain less in order to hear certain sounds, it helps to improve our cognitive ability which leads to improvements in attention and the ability to process sounds.

Treating Hearing Loss

Treating hearing loss can also prevent social isolation. With hearing aids from an audiologist, it’s possible to once again participate in social activities with friends and family members. This helps maintain social relationships which prevent the likelihood of someone feeling depressed or alienated, both of which could lead to a decline in hearing health and cognitive function.

It’s also worth mentioning that not all hearing loss is the same. Some types of hearing loss aren’t caused by aging but instead are noise-induced. This means that hearing loss occurs due to damage to the inner ear, mostly by exposure to loud noises. However, regardless of the type of hearing loss, it’s still possible for us to experience issues such as social isolation and increased brain strain due to our hearing health.

Research has shown that there is a strong link between hearing loss and cognitive decline. However, with proper treatment from a trained audiologist, it’s possible to treat both the hearing loss and the potential cognitive decline. If you’d like to learn more about hearing loss treatments, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our experts at Rocky Mountain Hearing & Balance at (801) 685-3456.