Hearing aids could help cut the risk of dementia, study finds

2023年05月26日

この研究は、補聴器が難聴が認知症に及ぼす潜在的な影響を軽減できる可能性を示唆するこれまでの最良の証拠を提供するものである。(English) The study provides the best evidence yet to suggest hearing aids could mitigate the potential impact of hearing loss on dementia.

Hearing aids could help cut the risk of dementia, study finds

//Summary -Level-C2//

A decade-long study suggests that wearing hearing aids could reduce the risk of dementia, potentially mitigating the global disease burden. The research, published in The Lancet, indicates that untreated hearing loss may increase dementia risk, but this risk could be equalized with hearing aid use. The study examined data from over 437,000 participants, finding a 42% higher dementia risk among those with untreated hearing loss. Despite debates on causation versus correlation, the findings underscore the importance of early hearing loss intervention.

Wearing hearing aids could help reduce the risk of dementia, according to a large, decade-long study that suggests tackling hearing loss early could help reduce the global burden of the disease.

Dementia is one of the world's greatest health threats. The number of people living with the condition worldwide is expected to triple to 153 million by 2050, and experts say it poses a significant and rapidly growing threat to future health and social care systems in every community, country and continent.

People with hearing loss who do not use hearing aids may have a higher risk of dementia than people without hearing loss, research suggests. But a new study suggests that a hearing aid could reduce this risk to the same level as people without hearing loss.

The findings were published in The Lancet medical journal. It comes after The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care, published in 2020, suggested that hearing loss could be linked to around 8% of dementia cases worldwide.

"Evidence is accumulating that hearing loss may be the most important modifiable risk factor for dementia in midlife, but the effectiveness of hearing aid use in reducing dementia risk in the real world has remained unclear," said Prof Dongshan Zhu of Shandong University, China.

"Our study provides the best evidence to date that hearing aids could be a minimally invasive, cost-effective treatment to reduce the potential impact of hearing loss on dementia."

The researchers examined data from 437,704 people participating in the UK Biobank study. The average age was 56 years; the average follow-up was 12 years. The researchers found that compared with people with normal hearing, people with hearing loss who did not use hearing aids had a 42% higher risk of all-cause dementia. However, there was no increased risk in people who used hearing aids.

This is roughly equivalent to a 1.7% risk of dementia in people with hearing loss who do not use hearing aids, compared with 1.2% in those without hearing loss or who have hearing loss but use hearing aids, the researchers said.

"Nearly four-fifths of people with hearing loss in the UK do not use hearing aids," Zhu said. "Hearing loss can start as early as the 40s, and there is evidence that gradual cognitive decline can last 20 to 25 years before dementia is diagnosed."

"Our findings highlight the urgent need for hearing aids to be introduced as soon as someone starts to experience hearing loss."

"A concerted effort is needed from across society, including raising awareness of hearing loss and its potential links with dementia, increasing access to hearing aids by reducing costs, and providing more support for primary care workers to screen for hearing impairment, raise awareness and provide treatment such as fitting hearing aids."

Robert Howard, Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry at University College London, who was not involved in the study, said: "This is a large and well-conducted study, but we should always remember that association is not the same as causation."

"I am sceptical that hearing aids can be used to prevent dementia. It seems more plausible that the association reflects that people on their way to developing dementia find it difficult to get or use hearing aids."

"But hearing aids are important in reducing isolation and improving quality of life, so we should encourage their use anyway".

Add info- No1)

1. Do you know someone who uses hearing aids? Please explain.

-> Yes, my aunt uses it. My late father-in-law also used it. My mother also had ear surgery, but she may use hearing aids.

It turned out that her mother had a hole in her eardrum. But she just thought she was getting harder and harder to hear and didn't care. This time she had to have surgery because her symptoms were progressing.

2. Do you believe hearing loss is connected to dementia? Why or why not?

-> I think the answer depends on how the person perceives being deaf.

If, like my father, you think negatively, you will be reluctant to talk to people. If that happens, it will be difficult for them to use their minds and bodies to communicate, which may increase their chances of developing dementia.

However, if you can talk to your friends without worrying too much, like my aunt and mother, you might not get dementia.

3. Do you think dementia threatens the future health of every country? Please share your thoughts.

-> Not only dementia but unhealthy conditions will also cost a lot of money. In addition, people with dementia, in particular, are in good health, but because they can go outside, there is a high possibility that they will go missing or care for them will be difficult.

Even if the family takes care of them, there is no doubt that there will be costs and emotional burdens even if they enter a facility.

4. Do you think hearing aids should be free for people who need them? Please discuss.

-> If people need hearing aids and it is too expensive to buy by themselves, I think the government should subsidize them so they can use them.

However, I'm afraid I have to disagree with free distribution to everyone, including wealthy people.

5. Would you prefer to lose your hearing or your sight? Please support your answer.

-> I don't want to lose either. I think looking at paintings and listening to classical music is essential.

However, losing vision can be very damaging when living in real life.

In other words, if anything, I think it's still better to lose your hearing.

6. Do you feel concerned about losing your hearing in old age? Please share your thoughts.

-> Yes, I am worried. This is because many of the people close to me are deaf.

However, I think that the person's feelings are essential.

When people get old, various obstacles will inevitably appear.

So, I want to live while enjoying that state, feeling happy whether I can do it or not.

Add info - No2)

Hearing Aids Helps Prevent Dementia

Wearing hearing aids could help cut the risk of developing dementia. A decade-long study showed that tackling hearing loss may help reduce the global burden of the debilitating disease.

Dementia is one of the world's biggest health threats. The number of people living with the condition worldwide is forecasted to triple to 153 million by 2050. Experts have said dementia is a dire threat to the future health of every country.

The researchers examined data collected from 437,704 people who participated in the study. The average age was 56, and the average follow-up time was 12 years. They found that people with hearing loss that were not using hearing aids had a 42% higher risk of dementia. However, there was no increased risk in people who used hearing aids.

The findings were published in The Lancet public health journal. It comes after the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and Care, published in 2020, suggested hearing loss may be linked to about 8% of worldwide dementia cases.

"The evidence is building that hearing loss may be the most impactful modifiable risk factor for dementia in mid-life," said Professor Dongshan Zhu of Shandong University in China.

"Hearing loss may begin early in one's 40s, and there is evidence that gradual cognitive decline before a dementia diagnosis can last 20 to 25 years," said Zhu. "Our findings highlight the urgent need for the early introduction of hearing aids when someone starts to experience hearing impairment," he added.