Hearing Loss and Dementia

Hearing loss is linked to dementia in individuals older than 60. Hearing loss may be causally related to dementia, maybe through exhaustion of cognitive reserve, social isolation, environmental differentiation, or a combo of these.

One wonders if the use of digital hearing aids, cochlear implants, or other rehabilitative strategies to treat hearing loss would result in a decreased risk for dementing illness.

Arch Neurol. 2011 ; 68(2):207-213