Early hearing aid use is linked to an increased risk for dementia, new research has shown.

Results of a new observational study found that individuals aged 70 years or younger with hearing loss had a 61% lower risk for dementia than their counterparts with hearing loss who did not wear the aids.

“Only 17% of individuals with moderate-to-severe [hearing loss] use hearing aids. Our study underscores the importance of early intervention for [hearing loss] to reduce risk for incident dementia,” study investigator Lily Francis, MBBS, MPhil, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and colleagues noted.

The study was published online on August 18 in JAMA Neurology .

Unique Research

Age-related hearing loss is widespread. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Comm

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