Wearing a hearing aid can reduce the risk of dementia



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A new study has found that people who wear a hearing aid for aging-related hearing problems have better brain function over time than those who do not.

It builds on extensive research conducted in recent years by the Lancet Commission on Prevention, Intervention and Dementia Care, which has made hearing loss a major risk factor for dementia. This research suggests that the wearing of a hearing aid can mitigate this risk.

The research was conducted by the University of Exeter and King's College London and is presented at the International Conference of the Alzheimer's Association in Los Angeles. In the online study PROTECT with 25,000 people aged 50 and over.

The results provide preliminary evidence showing that encouraging people to wear an effective hearing aid can help protect their brains and reduce their risk of dementia.

Both groups undertook annual cognitive tests over two years. After this period, the group wearing hearing aids performed better than the others when it came to badessing the working memory and the attention aspects. On a measure of attention, people who were wearing hearing aids had faster reaction times – in common terms, this reflected concentration, for example, "being at the head to hear a sound", "looking at near an object of great interest, "" listen intently to someone who speaks ".

Anne Corbett, director of PROTECT, University of Exeter, said: "Previous research has shown that hearing loss is related to a loss of brain function, memory, and memory loss. at an increased risk of dementia.Our work is one of the most important to date.The impact of the wearing of a hearing aid and suggests that the wearing of a hearing aid could actually Protect the brain We now need more research and a clinical trial to test it and perhaps fuel the policies to help people stay healthy later in life. "

Professor Clive Ballard, of the University of Exeter Medical School, said:

We know that we could reduce the risk of dementia by a third if we all act from the middle of life. This research is part of an essential set of work to determine what really works to keep our brain healthy. This discovery is early and requires further research, but its potential is exciting. The message here is that if you are informed that you need a hearing aid, find one that is right for you. At the very least, it will improve your hearing and may also help you keep your brain alert. "

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