2023-07-19 07:23:40
A recent study shows that there is a simple procedure that can reduce the chances of cognitive decline in people at risk of developing dementia.
The study, published in The Lancet medical journal, revealed that hearing aids can reduce the likelihood of cognitive decline by nearly 50 percent in people at risk of dementia.
Neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease are associated with hearing loss, but experts are not sure if the latter is a symptom or a cause of the disease.
How were the results obtained?
Nearly 2,000 research participants at such risk wore hearing aids for 3 years. The participants ranged in age from 70 to 84 years, and completed tests that included language and memory, before the start of the experiment and then 3 years later. Researchers found that hearing aids reduced risk by 48 percent. As a result, those who led the study believe that up to 8 percent of dementia cases could be prevented by stopping hearing loss and wearing devices that improve it.
Professor Frank Lane, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, said: “These findings provide compelling evidence that treatment of hearing loss is a powerful tool for protecting cognitive function later in life and may delay the diagnosis of dementia.”
“The benefits to cognition and cognition when treating age-related hearing loss are likely to vary, depending on the individual’s risk of cognitive decline,” Lin said.
Other experts noted that the findings add more evidence of the importance of maintaining brain activity, including in treating hearing loss.
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