What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurological disease that causes lesions in the brain, leading to irreparable brain damage, severe memory loss, confusion, and changes in behaviour that can disrupt normal functioning.4 As the most common cause of dementia, millions of people worldwide are affected by Alzheimer’s. In fact, an estimated 480,000 Australians are currently living with dementia and more than 70% of those cases are attributed to Alzheimer’s disease.5 

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include:

  • Memory loss: people with Alzheimer’s disease experience lasting memory loss that can affect their ability to function and work.1 This might look like forgetting conversations, appointments and events, misplacing items, getting lost in places they know well, and forgetting names of family members and everyday objects. 
  • Changes in personality and behaviour: those experiencing Alzheimer’s disease may have depression, social withdrawal, changes to their sleeping habits, wandering, loss of inhibitions, and mood swings.1 
  • Impaired decision-making: Alzheimer’s disease makes it harder to make practical decisions.1 People with Alzheimer’s may find social settings challenging or find it harder to solve everyday problems. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms or is concerned you may have Alzheimer’s disease, please speak to your healthcare professional. 

 

The Link Between Hearing Loss and Alzheimer’s Disease

While hearing loss on its own doesn’t directly cause Alzheimer’s, a study out of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine suggests untreated hearing loss can increase your chances of developing Alzheimer’s.6 It found that people with hearing loss are 1.4 to 1.6 times more likely to develop dementia than those with no hearing loss.6 

Why the connection? Well, for those experiencing hearing loss, the brain often has to work harder to make out conversation and hear certain words. This places a strain on the brain that comes at the expense of other thinking and memory systems.7 

As well as this, those with untreated hearing loss often retreat from social events and situations due to the frustration of not being able to follow the conversation or mishearing.8 Researchers believe that the isolation and loneliness that can result from social withdrawal is linked to higher risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.9 

 

How Hearing Aids May Help to Support Your Brain

Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease at this time, hearing aids can be beneficial as they may help reduce the effects of hearing loss on the brain and support cognitive function.10 Here are some ways hearing aids can help support your brain:

  • Reduce cognitive load: hearing aids amplify sounds, making it easier for your brain to process speech and other sounds without extra strain. This can reduce the cognitive effort needed to understand or follow conversations, freeing up mental resources for other tasks.11 
  • Stay mentally engaged: with better hearing, you’re more likely to participate in conversations, listen to music, or engage with the world around you. These activities can provide mental stimulation.11 
  • Enhance social connections: hearing aids can help you stay socially active which is important for mental health.12 Strong social interactions keep your brain engaged, promote emotional well-being, and reduce the risk of depression and cognitive decline.13 
  • Improve quality of life: with hearing aids, you may find yourself enjoying life more fully. Whether you’re hiking, attending family gatherings, or having a conversation, hearing aids help you to stay connected and engaged in everyday activities.14 

 

The Importance of Early Hearing Intervention

Hearing loss doesn’t need to hold you back from experiencing life’s greatest joys. In fact, the earlier you treat hearing loss, the more likely you are to protect your brain.15 Here’s why early hearing intervention is so important:

  • Slower cognitive decline: addressing hearing loss early may help slow down the rate of cognitive decline.10 The sooner you start using hearing aids, the more you can preserve your brain function over time. 
  • Brain protection: by reducing the strain on your brain caused by untreated hearing loss, you may be able to prevent further damage or deterioration, helping to maintain your brain’s health for longer.10 
  • Maximise the benefits: by starting treatment for hearing loss with hearing aids sooner, your brain has time to adjust to improved hearing.16 The more accustomed you are to them, the more benefits you’ll experience in the long run. 

Hearing aids play a key role in maintaining brain health and reducing the risk of cognitive decline.17 If you’re experiencing hearing loss, it’s important to take action sooner rather than later, so you can stay socially engaged, intellectually stimulated, and enjoy a high quality of life. 

If you’re concerned about your hearing, book an appointment at your local Connect Hearing clinic today. Our friendly team can provide you with advice and check your hearing, so you can hear better and help protect your brain so you can enjoy life's precious moments. 

 

References

  1. Dementia Australia (n.d.), Alzheimer’s disease, www.dementia.org.au, accessed 18 January 2025.
  2. National Institutes of Health (8 August 2023), Hearing aids slow cognitive decline in people at high risk, NIH Research Matters, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  3. American Heart Association (6 May 2020), Hearing loss and the connection to Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, American Heart Association News, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  4. Alzheimer’s Association (n.d.), What is Alzheimer’s Disease?, www.alz.org, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  5. Alzheimer’s Research Australia (n.d.), The Impact of Alzheimer’s, https://alzheimersresearch.org.au, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  6. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (12 November 2021), Hearing Loss and the Dementia Connection, https://publichealth.jhu.edu, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  7. BrainFacts.org (11 April 2022), The Hidden Effects of Hearing Loss on the Brain, www.brainfacts.org, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  8. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surgery (21 July 2021), Hearing Loss, Loneliness, and Social Isolation: A Systematic Review, National Library of Medicine, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  9. PLoS One (1 February 2023), Social isolation is linked to classical risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias, National Library of Medicine, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  10. Pacific Neuroscience Institute (16 November 2023), Understanding the Link Between Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline: Key Insights and Prevention Strategies, www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  11. National Institutes of Health (8 August 2023), Hearing aids slow cognitive decline in people at high risk, NIH Research Matters, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  12. Journal of Audiology & Otology (10 January 2023), Impact of Hearing Aid Usage on Emotional and Social Skills in Persons With Severe to Profound Hearing Loss, National Library of Medicine, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  13. Int Psychogeriatr. (30 April 2024), Social connections as determinants of cognitive health and as targets for social interventions in persons with or at risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders: a scoping review, National Library of Medicine, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  14. American Academy of Audiology (1 February 2007), A Systematic Review of Health-Related Quality of Life and Hearing Aids: Final Report of the American Academy of Audiology Task Force on the Health-Related Quality of Life Benefits of Amplification in Adults, www.audiology.org, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  15. Cedars Sinai (22 December 2023), TODAY: Treating Hearing Loss Can Protect Your Brain From Cognitive Decline, www.cedars-sinai.org, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  16. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (19 May 2022), Neural Plasticity Induced by Hearing Aid Use, National Library of Medicine, accessed 18 January 2025. 
  17. Pursuit: Health & Medicine (26 February 2020), A hearing aid could help your brain, University of Melbourne, accessed 18 January 2025.