JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck

Hearing loss may play a role in 1 in 3 dementia cases

April 21, 2025

Study details: This prospective cohort study, part of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS), followed 2,946 participants ≥45 years for an 8-year period (2011-2019). Researchers aimed to calculate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of incident dementia associated with hearing loss and investigate variations by age, sex, race, and method of hearing loss measurement.

Results: Audiometric hearing loss could account for up to 32% of incident dementia cases over the 8-year follow-up (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.0%-46.5%). The PAFs were consistent across different severities of hearing loss (mild hearing loss: 16.2% vs. moderate or greater hearing loss: 16.6%). Higher PAFs were observed among individuals aged ≥75 years (30.5%; 95% CI, -5.8% to 53.1%), females (30.8%; 95% CI, 5.9%-47.1%), and White individuals (27.8%; 95% CI, -6.0% to 49.8%), compared with those <75 years, males, and Black individuals.

Clinical impact: Addressing audiometric hearing loss could significantly reduce the incidence of dementia in older adults. This underscores the importance of routine hearing screening and timely intervention for hearing loss in the elderly population.

Source:

Ishak E, et al. (2025, April 17). JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Population Attributable Fraction of Incident Dementia Associated With Hearing Loss. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40244612/