Hearing Loss Linked to Accelerated Brain Tissue Loss

A recent study conducted by Johns Hopkins University and the National Institute of Aging found that aging adults with hearing loss are at higher risk for accelerated brain-tissue loss. Comparing the brain changes over the course of 10 years between adults with normal hearing and adults with impaired hearing, scientists found that out of 126 participants those whose hearing was already impaired at the start of the study had accelerated rates of brain atrophy compared to those with normal hearing. Overall, those with impaired hearing lost more than an additional cubic centimeter of brain tissue each year. Additionally, shrinkage was seen in the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri; brain structures responsible for processing sound, speech, memory and sensory integration. Results of the study stress the importance of treating hearing loss, instead of ignoring it, to help combat any structural changes in the brain before they take place. To read more about this study, click here.