Brain Hearing
The links between untreated hearing loss and earlier cognitive decline and dementia cannot be ignored. You hear with your brain; your ear is the conduit for sound which gets processed in the portion of the brain. When you have hearing loss that is not treated, the brain must work harder to fill in the blanks that are missing from the hearing loss. This additional workload on the brain forces it to use parts that are meant for memory and processing information. Over time that leads to shrinkage of the auditory portion of the brain from not being exercised with the sound it is missing. Many studies have verified this link including Johns Hopkins and the Lancet Commission.
Research on Brain Hearing
- Hearing Loss and the Dementia Connection
Johns Hopkins – November 12, 2021 - Dementia prevention, intervention, and care 2020
Updated: July 30, 2020 - How treatment for hearing loss can help reduce risk of dementia
The Today Show – November 15, 2023