The gradual loss of your hearing is far more than just a nuisance — it can cut you off from relationships, foment social isolation and, as research shows, significantly increase your chances of developing . Evidence suggests hearing loss ranks among the most common risk factors for , more important than one’s education level or physical conditions like hypertension, obesity, smoking, physical inactivity and more. It likely has to do with the social isolation that comes with hearing loss, experts tell the Star; regular socialization stimulates the brain, helping it stay sharp and preventing the advance of dementia.
“When someone starts to miss part of the conversation, they, for lack of a better term, check out,” explained Imola MacPhee, a clinical audiologist and Ph.D. student at Carleton University studying the relationship between hearing loss and dementia.
“They don’t want to make a mistake, they don’t want to get embarrassed, and so they get secluded. And then what happens is, they begin to live a less enriching life.” Dementia can cause significant changes in eating habits, from forgetting mealtimes to losing the , nearly double the amount of people with mild hearing loss will develop dementia compared to those with normal hearing.
People with moderate hearing loss are three times more at risk, and those with severe hearing loss have almost five times the chance of cognitive decline. “There is a proportionate increase of the probability of developing de.