Did you know that hearing aids and cochlear implants can decrease the risk of developing dementia? 

Research shows that hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline; a 2020 report published in The Lancet named hearing loss as a top risk factor for dementia, attributing it to 8% of cases. But can treating hearing loss when it has already occurred help decrease the risk of dementia and support cognitive function after the fact?

A meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Monday says yes. Analyzing 31 different studies of 137,484 participants that studied the long-term association between the use of hearing aids/cochlear implants and cognitive decline, researchers found a 19% decrease in cognitive decline among participants who used hearing restorative devices versus those who did not. They also found a 3% improvement in cognitive test scores among participants that used hearing restorative devices compared to those that did not. These findings were significant even when adjusting for age, gender, socioeconomic status, and co-morbidities like hypertension. When analyzing the data based on the type of device used, results remained significant for the use of cochlear implants but not for hearing aids, suggesting a benefit to using more permanent hearing restoration approaches in cognitive protection.