Dr Piers Dawes highlights the importance of research into the wider effects of hearing loss
A Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention and care has listed nine key areas as risk factors for developing dementia with mid-life hearing loss responsible for 9% of the risk.
Dr Piers Dawes is a neuro psychologist from The University of Manchester. His research is part of the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre’s Hearing Health Theme. Research within the theme covers prevention, diagnosis and treatment across the whole life span. Below Dr Dawes comments on the recent Lancet publication.
“There is no evidence to suggest that hearing loss is a primary cause of functional impairment of the brain.
“It is however, plausible that hearing loss, for example, has an indirect impact on brain health: these individuals with hearing problems are able to move around less, have a poorer diet and are often older, so their brain health will be poorer.
I and my colleagues at the BRC believe that effective prevention will reduce developmental, cognitive, social and economic burdens of hearing loss and this is why research into the wider effects of hearing loss is so important.
Dr Piers Dawes