Age-related
hearing loss (presbycusis) is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most
of us as we grow older. It is one of the most common conditions affecting older
and elderly adults.
Approximately
one in three people in the United States between the ages of 65 and 74 has
hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing.
Having trouble hearing can make it hard to understand and follow a doctor's
advice, respond to warnings, and hear phones, doorbells, and smoke alarms.
Hearing loss can also make it hard to enjoy talking with family and friends,
leading to feelings of isolation.
Age-related
hearing loss most often occurs in both ears, affecting them equally. Because
the loss is gradual, if you have age-related hearing loss you may not realize
that you've lost some of your ability to hear.
There
are many causes of age-related hearing loss. Most commonly, it arises from
changes in the inner ear as we age, but it can also result from changes in the
middle ear, or from complex changes along the nerve pathways from the ear to
the brain. Certain medical conditions and medications may also play a role.
Research
about a link between age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline and
dementia has been inconsistent. Understanding any possible association between
hearing loss and cognitive decline could help with strategies to prevent
cognitive decline and dementia with use of hearing assist devices.
Recently researchers conducted a systematic review and
meta-analysis of 20,264 participants in 36 studies. A meta-analysis combines
the results of multiple studies identified in a systematic review and
quantitatively summarizes the overall association between the same exposure and
outcomes measured across all studies.
The
researchers found was a small association between age-related hearing loss
and increased risk for cognitive decline (such as in executive function, episodic
memory and processing speed), cognitive impairment and dementia.
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