People experiencing worsening voice quality—such as changes in pitch, clarity, volume, reduced vocal range, or other voice disorders—alongside no hearing loss may face a 58% greater risk of cognitive impairment or dementia than those without voice disorders, according to a large-scale study conducted by researchers at Drexel University’s College of Medicine.
Journal of Voice Findings on Cognitive Impairment Risks
The findings, published in the Journal of Voice, indicate that voice disorders could serve as an even more accurate early sign of cognitive decline than hearing loss alone. While hearing loss is recognized as the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia—associated with a 27% increased risk of cognitive decline compared to matched controls—the new research demonstrates a substantially higher risk tied to diagnosed voice disorders.
Drexel University Tracking Data of 833,417 Patients
The research team tracked data on 833,417 patients at primary care doctor well visits, beginning at least a full year after a diagnosis of a voice or hearing loss disorder. They compared these patients against a control group experiencing neither voice nor hearing problems to determine who subsequently developed dementia or cognitive impairment.
Senior author Robert Sataloff, MD, a professor and chair in Drexel’s College of Medicine, noted that voice disorders can lead individuals to participate less often in brain-supporting social and engaging activities if speaking becomes painful or impacts how their voice sounds. We already see this in patients with Parkinson’s disease, in which voice disorders often precede other physical signs of the disease,
Sataloff said.
National Institutes of Health Data on U.S. Adults
According to the National Institutes of Health, roughly 17.9 million U.S. adults report having a voice problem within a 12-month period, with 9.4 million experiencing an issue lasting for a week or longer. Furthermore, the Drexel study highlights that four in ten adults who experience a voice disorder do not pursue medical care, potentially placing them at higher risk of cognitive decline.
More than six million Americans currently live with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, a total expected to more than double by 2060, and more than four in 10 Americans over the age of 55 will receive a dementia diagnosis in their lifetime. Researchers emphasize that early diagnoses allow patients to prepare for future health issues and better plan their finances to secure the highest possible quality of life. Russo and Mary J.
