New Study Finds Hearing Aids Slow Cognitive Decline in Some Older Adults
Results from the largest randomized, controlled clinical trial testing the effect of hearing aids on cognitive decline are in.
They show that when older adults with risk factors for cognitive decline wore hearing aids over three years, they slowed their loss of thinking and memory abilities by 48%.1
Details on the Study
The Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) study followed older adults aged 70–84 with untreated mild to moderate hearing loss who had no substantial cognitive issues.
Study participants came from two sources—1) those enrolled in a long-standing observational study of heart health (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities [ARIC] study) and 2) healthy community volunteers.
For three years, participants received either a hearing intervention, which included hearing aids, a hearing self-management toolkit and counseling from an audiologist, or a control intervention of individual health education sessions.
While the hearing intervention did not reduce cognitive decline in the total population, the method did slow cognitive decline by 48% for those in the ARIC study.
Researchers noted that the ARIC subgroup had more risk factors for cognitive decline.
“The hearing intervention had a significant effect on reducing cognitive change within three years in the population of older adults in the study who are at increased risk for cognitive decline,” said Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., and co-principal investigator of the ACHIEVE study.1
“Hearing loss is very treatable in later life, which makes it an important public health target to reduce risk of cognitive decline and dementia, along with other dementia risk factors such as less education in early life, high blood pressure, social isolation and physical inactivity,” he added.
However, the hearing intervention positively affected other aspects of the entire cohort’s lives.
“In both the ARIC group and the new group of community volunteers, we also found that the hearing intervention improved communication abilities, social functioning and loneliness,” Lin said. “Until we know more, we recommend for general health and well-being that older adults have their hearing checked regularly and any hearing issues properly addressed.”2
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1 USF Health. (2023). Hearing aids slow cognitive decline in older adults with hearing loss and at risk for cognitive decline. https://hscweb3.hsc.usf.edu/blog/2023/07/18/hearing-aids-slow-cognitive-decline-in-older-adults-with-hearing-loss-and-at-risk-for-cognitive-decline/
2 Alzheimer’s Association. (2023). Hearing aids slow cognitive decline in older adults with hearing loss and at risk for cognitive decline. https://aaic.alz.org/releases_2023/hearing-aids-slow-cognitive-decline.asp
