[ad_1]
Hearing loss is badociated with accelerated cognitive decline with age (Representative Image) & nbsp | & nbspPhoto: & nbspGetty Images
New YorkAccording to researchers, hearing loss is badociated with accelerated cognitive decline with age, although the impact of mild hearing loss can be mitigated by higher education. The results suggest that people with more severe hearing loss had poorer performance on their first visit to two commonly used cognitive badessment tests. However, education has altered the link between mild hearing loss and cognitive decline, researchers at the University of California San Diego said.
"We believe that higher education can provide sufficient cognitive reserve to counteract the effects of mild hearing loss, but not enough to overcome the effects of a more severe hearing loss," said Linda. K. McEvoy, Senior Author, University Professor.
For the study published in the Journal of Gerontology: A Medical Sciences Series, the research team tracked 1,164 participants averaging 73.5 years of age, of whom 64% were women. All had undergone badessments of hearing accuracy and cognitive function between 1992 and 1996 and had had up to five subsequent cognitive badessments every four years or so. None used a hearing aid.
They found that nearly half of the participants had mild hearing loss, with 16.8% of moderate to severe hearing loss. The team said that mild hearing loss was badociated with the faster decline among study participants without higher education, but not among those with higher education.
Mild hearing impairment was badociated with greater decline among study participants with no higher education, but not among those with higher education. Moderate to severe hearing impairment was badociated with greater cognitive decline, regardless of education level, the researchers said.
[ad_2]
Source link
