Hearing Aids: the Key to Healthy Brain Function? Examining Hearing Loss

Even though our brain is arguably our most important organ, it’s easy to neglect it, or write it off as a “machine” that will thrive or degenerate as it pleases. The idea that we are powerless when it comes to promoting healthy brain function is an unfortunate misconception. You can take steps to make sure that your brain is operating smoothly. The road begins with your ears! Hearing aids help.

Hearing Loss and Brain Atrophy:

One year ago, we talked about the relationship between hearing loss and various cognitive disorders. We learned there is a link between hearing loss and some mental illnesses, including dementia, depression, and anxiety. Have you ever heard of brain atrophy? Brain atrophy is a condition that occurs when there is damage to connections between brain cells. It'ss attributed to a variety of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and epilepsy. A study conducted by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 and published in The Journal of Neuroscience, suggests that hearing loss may lead to gray matter atrophy in auditory areas of the brain, particularly in older adults. Those suffering from brain atrophy associated with hearing loss will likely struggle to understand speech, as they have to work harder to listen to and absorb sound.

Hearing Loss and Brain Atrophy: About the Study:

By using MRI scans to evaluate the brain activity of adults with both hearing loss and normal hearing, the study determined that when listening to a variety of complex sentences, those with impaired hearing demonstrated less brain activity than those with normal hearing. Furthermore, hearing impaired individuals exhibited less gray matter in their auditory cortices. This finding supports the idea that a decline in hearing may be connected to increased atrophy in the brain.

Hearing Loss and Brain Atrophy: Symptoms of Brain Atrophy:

Brain atrophy manifests itself through a variety of symptoms. This may include changes in mood and memory loss, and sometimes more severely, dementia or seizures.

Hearing Loss and Brain Atrophy: The Role of Hearing Aids:

By using hearing aids, you may protect yourself from more than just hearing loss.  As Jonathan Peelle, Ph.D., lead author of the study put it, "Your hearing ability directly affects how the brain processes sound, including speech. Preserving your hearing doesn't only protect your ears, but also helps your brain perform at its best."

by Leah Sininsky