New study finds strong link between hearing loss and dementia

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A new study found that people with hearing loss could be at a significantly higher risk of developing dementia. According to the , published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, up to 32% of all dementia cases in elderly adults may have been caused by or connected to hearing loss. "It affects your brain and when your brain is struggling to make sense of what people are saying, it puts strain on it and it takes away from memory and thinking so those parts of the brain aren't stimulated anymore," said Elaine Backman, a hearing specialist at Belton Hearing Care Center. "Any hearing loss is something you should be concerned about, even a mild loss," she said. She cited a study from John's Hopkins University that said even "mild loss can double your chances of dementia." Backman also gave some suggestions on how to prevent dementia. "Early intervention with a hearing aid or treating loss with a hearing aid helps you to be part of the community again, go out and socialize," she said. "When people can't hear they kind of don't go to restaurants anymore, can't hear when they go get their prescription and causes social isolation." According to reports from the National Institutes of Health, hearing aids can reduce the rate of cognitive decline in elderly adults by nearly 50 percent. "If you are struggling to hear the TV, if you are at a dinner with your loved ones and you can't hear what anyone is saying, you're just kind of sitting back laughing when they laugh..." Backman said as signs you should get your hearing checked.