Can't Hear People When There's Noise Around? New Study Links This to Dementia Risk

Hearing is a skill most of us take for granted. But new research suggests that adults should listen out for changes in their hearing, as hearing difficulties might be linked to developing dementia at an older age.

In a study of over 80,000 adults over the age of 60, those who had trouble hearing speech in noisy environments had a greater risk of dementia, which is an umbrella term for conditions characterized by memory loss and difficulty with language and other thinking skills.

But there's an upside, too: the study adds to evidence suggesting hearing problems may not just be a symptom of dementia but actually a risk factor of dementia that could possibly alert people, their families, or doctors to its onset before any deterioration begins.

Let's not forget either, this research suggests that protecting our ears against hearing damage, with earmuffs and earplugs, and helping people hear better with hearing aids, could potentially help mitigate this potential risk factor of dementia, which affects millions worldwide

Read the full news article on Science Alert