Memory and Hearing Loss Correction for Aging Adults

Brandeis University researchers have discovered older adults with mild to moderate hearing loss can lose their ability to remember words and language. Studies have shown, even when adults retain any amount of the ability to hear words and repeat them, older adults’ ability to remember the words they have heard is diminished if they are experiencing hearing loss. Additionally, the effects of hearing loss on word recognition have been found to be mostly an auditory phenomenon. In contrasting types of memory, hearing loss appears to have more of an effect on the ability to hear spoken words with little to no effect on words presented visually.

These types of studies, conducted with older adults, are important to discover the connection between the part of the brain used for hearing and word recognition and the part of the brain responsible for accessing memory. Withdrawal, which can be a side effect of both hearing and memory loss, has also been shown to affect the general cognitive skills of older adults. The further a patient with hearing or memory loss withdraws from family and friends, the less they may be able to access both memory and hearing portions of their brain. The brain can atrophy to an extent, causing an even more significant decline in both memory and hearing loss.

Physicians and patients, along with patient caregivers, should be aware of the significant role hearing loss can play in memory deterioration. Once there has been a diagnosis of memory problems in a patient, doctors should also suggest a full hearing exam. Conversely, patients who have been diagnosed with hearing loss should also be examined for any possible memory problems that may be present.

Once a diagnosis of hearing loss has been confirmed in a patient, the patient should consider treatment for their hearing loss to include hearing aids. The successful use of hearing aids has been found to reverse the effects of memory loss, due to the fact they allow the patient to stop concentrating so heavily on hearing what others are saying. The patient will feel much less self-conscious about their hearing ability, which can allow them to halt the withdrawal from family and friends. Conversation and interaction can serve to maintain a healthy level of cognitive ability in older hearing loss patients.

Share and Enjoy: