A study carried out at Johns Hopkins University, in the United States, shows that hearing loss is an important risk factor for the development of dementia among elderly people over 70 years old. The severity of hearing loss is directly proportional to the cognitive damage.
The authors of the research, published on Tuesday (10/1), in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jama)suggest that public health actions aimed at preserving hearing should be prioritized to spare the population from harm.
Hearing loss is estimated to account for 8% of global cases of dementia, making it the single biggest modifiable risk factor for the condition at a population level. The new study sought to clarify this relationship in more detail.
To do so, researchers from the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health at Johns Hopkins University analyzed data from 2,413 seniors aged 65 or over registered in the Medicare health program, linked to the US government. Just over half of the participants (53.3%) were 80 years old or older.
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and dementia are neurodegenerative diseases that mainly affect the elderly population. The conditions are progressive and, over time, the patient becomes more dependent on the care of others.Getty Images
*** Seniors and computerIt is common that, in the initial stage, the symptoms are confused with the natural aging process. However, family members and close people should be aware of the signs Getty Images
*** doctorsIt is also important to seek help from doctors, as the earlier the diagnosis, the greater the chances of controlling the case and delaying the progression of the disease, as well as increasing the quality of life of patients.Disclosure
***elderly-g73b917f75_640Parkinson’s causes the death of neurons that produce dopamine and play an important role in the locomotor system. Men are the most affectedPixabay
***man-g7d8f2f940_640The patient’s family should be aware of the first signs of slowness, muscle stiffness and frequent tremors, which are more characteristic of this condition.Pixabay
***woman-gd073167b3_640Alzheimer’s, in turn, affects the female population more. It causes the degeneration and death of neurons, which results in progressive alteration of brain functions.Pixabay
***question-gd12ddc75a_640The most recurrent consequences are the impairment of memory, behavior, thinking and learning capacity.Pixabay
***patient-ge7e79da2d_640Dementia is progressive and the initial symptoms are well known: memory loss and confusion are the most common. The condition affects up to 25% of people over 85 in BrazilPixabay
***hands-gda2519f21_640Speech problems and difficulty making decisions are also among the signs. However, there are other subtle signs that can alert to the development of some types of degenerative diseases. Pixabay
***eye-g91c3cc572_640Vision problems: A study done in the UK by UK Biobank shows that people with age-related macular degeneration are 25% more likely to have dementiaPixabay
***elderly-agencia-brazilHearing loss: may be linked to cellular changes in the brain. But vision and hearing loss can lead to social isolation, which has been known for years as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.Brazil Agency
***elderly-couple-g5e4cbfe5e_640Mood swings: People with early dementia stop finding jokes funny or don’t understand situations they used to find amusing, and may have trouble understanding sarcasm Pixabay
***281948-see-x-important-care-with-the-elderly-oral-health-768×512Gum problems: Research shows that oral health is linked to mental health issues and may also be linked to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and alcoholism — all of which are also risk factors for dementiareproduction
***man-g2ef0736cd_640Social isolation: the symptom may increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. A lack of patience with friends and family and a preference for being alone could be signs of brain chemical problems or a lack of vitamins.Pixabay
***ball-g8627c1d0f_640Other signs that may indicate neurodegenerative diseases are: lack of interest in usual activities, difficulty performing day-to-day tasks, repeating conversations or tasks, disorientation in known places and difficulty memorizingPixabay
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Three out of ten volunteers (36.74%) had hearing problems and 10.27% had been diagnosed with dementia. A closer look showed that for every ten decibels lost, the risk of dementia increased by about 16%.
By combining the two factors, the researchers observed that the prevalence of dementia was 16.52% among elderly people with severe hearing loss, 8.93% among those with mild hearing loss, and 6.19% among those with normal hearing.
Hearing aid use was associated with a 32% reduced risk of dementia compared to participants who had hearing problems but did not wear an aid, suggesting that access to equipment may contribute to prognosis.
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