Mild hearing loss is associated with two-fold greater risk for dementia, while severe hearing loss is associated with 5 times greater risk over 10 years [4]. Several longitudinal studies have found that the rate of cognitive decline is accelerated in dementia patients with hearing loss [5]. Participants with hearing loss experienced rates of cognitive decline that were 30-50% faster than those with normal hearing [6][7].
A recent study following over 1,000 participants in the Rancho Bernardo Study of Healthy Aging for up to 24 years found that hearing impairment was associated with faster age-related declines in global and executive cognitive function [8]. The cognitive decline associated with mild hearing loss was reduced in individuals who attained higher education, but education could not protect against declines associated with moderate to severe hearing loss.
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