Hearing Loss and Brain Health

Health

Hearing loss and brain health

There are many different causes of hearing loss but in this article we’ll focus on Presbycusis, ‘age-related hearing loss’, as this type of hearing loss has such a significant impact on brain health if left untreated. When it comes to hearing loss most of us think it’s our ears that aren’t working very well but the problem actually lies deeper than that. Soundwaves are funnelled through our outer ear creating a vibration on the ear drum and middle ear. This vibration moves the fluid in the inner ear which stimulates our hearing nerves and sends signals to the brain where this sound information can be processed and made sense of. Presbycusis, age-related hearing loss, is caused by damage to the hearing nerves in the inner ear, mainly affecting the nerves that pick up high pitch sounds, or treble, which gives clarity to speech. This is why most people say they can hear something is being said but they can’t understand it clearly as the meaningful information is missing. In most cases this damage happens very slowly over many years and we expect to see some level of loss from the age of 60 onwards. This slow deterioration means that the brain is gradually deprived of sound information for a long period of time and, like a muscle, this brain tissue can waste away from lack of stimulation. Statistics show that the majority of people wait at least 7 years from the time they begin having hearing difficulties to seeking help with the use of hearing aids. Not only has the brain been deprived of sound information for at least 7 years, but it has also aged during this time, so the natural ageing of the brain is further compounded by lack of hearing. The consequence of these physical changes in the brain can lead to reduced concentration and

mental fatigue, decreased ability to process complex sentences, memory loss, depression, cognitive impairment, and ultimately, an increased risk of preventable dementia. Even a mild hearing loss can increase the risk of dementia A study published by the Lancet looking at lifestyle and dementia, identified 9 modifiable risk factors linked to a third of dementia cases. Untreated hearing loss accounted for the largest proportion of these risk factors. The other two thirds of dementia risk are due to factors that cannot be controlled. Treating hearing loss as early as possible with hearing aids is key to slowing down further hearing loss and maintaining healthy processing within the brain. The good news is that studies have proven that restoring hearing has a positive impact on people’s cognitive abilities as well as improved social lives, more productive work lives, and increased well-being.