Association of midlife hearing impairment and hearing aid use with incident dementia
A groundbreaking new study has shed light on the potential connection between hearing impairment during midlife and the subsequent development of dementia in later years. Drawing on data from two of the UK’s most robust cohort studies—the Whitehall II Study and the UK Biobank—researchers have provided new insights into how hearing difficulties and hearing aid use might influence the risk of dementia over decades.
Background
Hearing impairment has long been considered a potential modifiable risk factor for dementia, yet much of the existing evidence stems from studies involving older populations. These studies are often limited by the possibility that early, undiagnosed stages of dementia may themselves influence hearing, thereby skewing the results. The new research sought to address this gap by focusing on hearing loss during midlife, a period less likely to be affected by preclinical dementia symptoms.
About the Study
The study used health data from two major UK cohorts: the Whitehall II study and the UK Biobank. Together, these studies included over 385,000 adults. Participants were asked about their hearing and whether they used hearing aids, and lab hearing tests from the UK Biobank were used to provide a more accurate assessment of auditory function. Researchers then tracked who went on to develop dementia over the following decades using medical records. On average, people in the Whitehall II study were followed for nearly 25 years, and those in the UK Biobank for nearly 14 years.
To contextualize their findings, they also calculated the Population Attributable Fraction (PAF) for hearing impairment, indicating the proportion of dementia cases that could potentially be prevented if hearing loss were eliminated.
What this Study Found
Researchers found that people who reported hearing difficulties in midlife were more likely to develop dementia later on—about 12% higher. Those using hearing aids also showed a higher risk, likely because their hearing loss was more severe. When hearing was measured through lab tests rather than self-report, the link was even stronger: people with poorer hearing had a 31% higher risk of developing dementia, highlighting a connection between midlife hearing health and dementia in later life.
Importantly, researchers also looked at how many dementia cases might be linked to hearing loss across the population. They found that eliminating midlife hearing problems could potentially prevent around 3–5% of dementia cases. While that may seem small, it could still mean thousands of people.
Why This Matters
Dementia is a growing public health concern, with millions affected worldwide. Understanding what causes it—and what might help prevent it—is a top priority for scientists. Hearing loss is one of the risk factors that could potentially be treated or managed. However, this new research suggests that the benefits of doing so may be more limited than previously thought.
“We found that hearing problems in midlife are linked to a slightly higher risk of dementia, but the effect is not as large as some earlier studies have suggested,” said the study’s authors. “This highlights how important it is to study these risk factors earlier in life, before dementia begins to develop.”
Takeaway Message
This study adds to the growing evidence that looking after your hearing in midlife could play a role in keeping your brain healthy later on. It also underscores the importance of regular hearing checks and early support if problems arise. However, hearing loss is just one part of a much bigger puzzle when it comes to preventing dementia.
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcos-d-machado-fragua-a9095b96/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/archana-singh-manoux-1221a1163/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/s%C3%A9verine-sabia-709a10210/
By Marcos D. Machado-Fragua, Archana Singh-Manoux, Séverine Sabia
