Two key factors of dementia risk that outweigh all others
Addressing vision loss, treating depression and doing plenty of exercise are all ways of reducing the risk. Now Swiss scientists, who tracked more than 30,000 adults, have revealed a significant link between hearing loss, loneliness and memory decline. Writing in the journal Communications Psychology, scientists at the University of Geneva said: 'Addressing hearing impairment alongside loneliness—even in socially integrated individuals—may be crucial for promoting cognitive health in later life. With increasing longevity, understanding the relationship between hearing impairment and cognitive functioning is of utmost importance for ageing societies.'
In the study, the researchers analysed 33,741 adults aged 50 and over enrolled in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Over a 17 year period they found that older adults who said they felt lonely—even if they were not socially isolated—showed steeper cognitive decline as their hearing deteriorated compared to socially integrated individuals. Participants who were both isolated and lonely consistently performed worse across all cognitive tasks including immediate and delayed recall and verbal fluency. According to the researchers, this could be because memory processes like retrieving information are used more by people who interact with others on a regular basis.
Additionally, researchers found that lonely individuals found hearing loss more distressing than their non-lonely peers, highlighting the psychological burden of the condition which could contribute to memory loss. The researchers concluded that their findings support the theory that both objective and subjective social isolation are relevant to dementia risk. 'Our design uncovered a significant role for loneliness in shaping the extent to which sensory decline is linked to cognition,' the researchers added. However, the researchers acknowledged that causality could not be inferred. They added: 'Our findings indicate that both hearing impairment and psychosocial factors such as loneliness and social isolation may be relevant to cognitive functioning in later life. This underscores the importance of a holistic approach that combines auditory health with psychosocial support to maintain cognitive health in later life.'
In response to studies such as this, experts at Alzheimer's Research UK are now calling on the government to include a hearing check in the NHS Health Check for over-40s. Dr Isolde Radford, from the charity, said: 'We don't yet know if hearing loss directly causes dementia or whether it causes other conditions that, in turn increase our risk. What we do know is that hearing loss, like dementia, isn't an inevitable part of ageing. This simple step could help millions identify hearing loss earlier and take appropriate action, such as wearing hearing aids, that may help reduce their risk of dementia.'
It comes as a landmark study last year also suggested almost half of all Alzheimer's cases could be prevented by tackling 14 lifestyle factors. To reduce dementia risk throughout life, the commission also made 13 recommendations for both people and governments. These include making hearing aids available for all those who need it, reducing harmful noise exposure, and increased detection and treatment access for high cholesterol among the over-40s.
Experts claimed the study, published in medical journal The Lancet, provided more hope than 'ever before' that the memory-robbing disorder that blights the lives of millions can be prevented. Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia and affects 982,000 people in the UK.
It is thought to be caused by a build-up of amyloid and tau in the brain, which clump together and from plaques and tangles that make it harder for the brain to work properly. Eventually, the brain struggles to cope with this damage and dementia symptoms develop.
Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time. Alzheimer's Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country's biggest killer.
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