World Alzheimer’s Day: Can hearing loss treatment improve cognition?
September 21, 2024 – (Innsbruck, Austria): On World Alzheimer’s Day, MED-EL, a global leader in hearing implant solutions, raises an important question: Can hearing loss treatment help improve cognition and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia? With millions affected worldwide, MED-EL is committed to improving cognitive health through advanced hearing technologies that may support healthy aging.
Hearing loss: the No. 1 modifiable factor to prevent cognitive decline
As we strive for healthy aging, Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia are conditions that we strive to avoid at all costs. While common recommendations include maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing cardiovascular risk, many are unaware of the critical link between hearing and brain health. This can be attributed to the fact that dementia and hearing loss share common risk factors, such as decreased communication, social isolation, and depression.
The 2024 Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention, and Care identified hearing loss as a crucial modifiable risk factor for dementia.1 Research has shown that untreated hearing loss increases the risk of cognitive decline. One long-term study2 found that individuals with mild hearing loss had double the risk of developing dementia, while people with severe hearing impairments had an even five-fold risk.
Positive effects of cochlear implants on cognition
Although research cannot yet confirm that treating hearing loss will prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, growing observational evidence suggests that using hearing technology could reduce the dementia risk.1 For people with severe to profound hearing loss, cochlear implants are the only treatment option to restore hearing and potentially enhance cognitive health.
A brand-new study from Belgium concludes that cochlear implantation positively affects cognition3, underlining the importance of early hearing loss treatment. This may be attributed to the fact that better hearing leads to increased cognitive stimulation, communication and social activities that counteract a potential brain atrophy associated with hearing loss.
Commitment to healthy aging
MED-EL is at the forefront of research and innovation, continuously developing advanced hearing solutions that support cognitive well-being in older adults. The company collaborates with scientists worldwide to deepen the understanding of the connection between hearing loss and dementia. “World Alzheimer’s Day reminds us of the critical role hearing plays in maintaining cognitive health and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia,” explains Patrick D’Haese, Corporate Director of Awareness and Public Affairs at MED-EL.
”For people with severe hearing loss, cochlear implants can significantly improve communication and social interaction, which are crucial for cognitive health. Regular hearing checks and early intervention are essential steps to reduce dementia risk factors.”
Recommendations for protecting cognitive health through hearing care
Get your hearing tested annually – just as you would with other health checkups. As part of aging care, regular hearing assessments are as crucial as other regular medical checkups.
- Address hearing loss early and, if necessary, use appropriate hearing technology.
- Consider cochlear implants for severe hearing loss to help maintain social connections and communication, key factors for preserving cognitive health.
By emphasizing the importance of hearing health, MED-EL is committed to helping people preserve their cognitive abilities and age more healthily.
For more information on hearing and the importance of regular screenings, visit the MED-EL website. MED-EL offers free online hearing tests to assess potential hearing loss.
1Livingston G et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission
The Lancet, Volume 404, Issue 10452, 572 - 628
2Brewster KK, Deal JA, Lin FR, Rutherford BR. Considering hearing loss as a modifiable risk factor for dementia. Expert Rev Neurother. 2022 Sep;22(9):805-813.
3Vandenbroeke, T, Andries, E et al. Cognitive Changes Up to 4 Years After Cochlear Implantation in Older Adults: A Prospective Longitudinal Study Using the RBANS-H. Ear & Hearing ():10.1097/AUD.0000000000001583, September 04, 2024
About MED-EL
MED-EL Medical Electronics, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, is driven by a mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and quality of life. The Austrian-based, privately owned business was co-founded by industry pioneers Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, whose ground-breaking research led to the development of the world’s first micro-electronic multi-channel cochlear implant (CI), which was successfully implanted in 1977 and was the basis for what is known as the modern CI today. This laid the foundation for the successful growth of the company in 1990, when they hired their first employees. To date, MED-EL has more than 2,800 employees from around 80 nations and 30 locations worldwide.
The company offers the widest range of implantable and non-implantable solutions to treat all types of hearing loss, enabling people in 137 countries enjoy the gift of hearing with the help of a MED-EL device. MED-EL’s hearing solutions include cochlear and middle ear implant systems, a combined electric acoustic stimulation hearing implant system, auditory brainstem implants as well as surgical and non-surgical bone conduction devices. www.medel.com
CEO
Doz. DI Dr DDr med. h.c. Ingeborg Hochmair
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PR & Corporate Communications
MED-EL Medical Electronics
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