{"id":214,"date":"2021-07-10T13:36:49","date_gmt":"2021-07-10T17:36:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/accessiblehearingaids.com\/?p=214"},"modified":"2022-01-22T15:32:10","modified_gmt":"2022-01-22T20:32:10","slug":"the-link-between-hearing-loss-dementia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/accessiblehearingaids.com\/the-link-between-hearing-loss-dementia\/","title":{"rendered":"How Hearing Loss May Contribute to Dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Get<\/a>
Dementia is related to hearing loss<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are three main theories for how hearing loss may contribute to cognitive decline and dementia.<\/p>\n

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  1. Cognitive Load \u2013 Because the brain is constantly coping with degraded sounds because its resources are dedicated to processing those sounds, this impairs its other processes such as memory and thinking.<\/li>\n
  2. Brain Atrophy – Hearing impairment may directly contribute to accelerated rates of atrophy in parts of the brain that process sound. Because parts of the brain don’t work in isolation, hearing loss may play a role in memory and sensory integration. Studies show a relation between the early stages of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.<\/li>\n
  3. Social Isolation – People who have a hard time hearing often withdraw because it’s so difficult to communicate with others. Numerous studies have found that a loss of engagement and loneliness are risk factors for cognitive decline.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    DON\u2019T BE A BAD STATISTIC\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

    If you have hearing loss, it makes sense to get it treated. The connection between hearing loss and dementia, raises the possibility that treating hearing loss more aggressively could help stave off cognitive decline and dementia.<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately, even though The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that nearly 25 percent of those age 65 through 74 and 50 percent of those 75 and older have disabling hearing loss, few people seek the help they need.<\/p>\n

    Here are the numbers:<\/p>\n