inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf

inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf
mosquito-borne diseases affect up to 700 million people each year. learn more
powered by: valneva canada inc.
home / diseases & conditions / alzheimer's disease

new dementia theory grapples with hearing loss

researchers at newcastle university suggest a possible link between alzheimer’s disease, the temporal lobe and hearing loss.

by monika warzecha

sep 22 2020
read time 1 minute read
join the conversation
how can hearing loss cause dementia? a new theory
researchers looked at existing studies of dementia and hearing loss. getty

a new theory suggests a possible link between alzheimer’s disease, an important memory centre in the brain, and hearing loss.

reasearchers with newcastle university in the u.k. published an article in neuron, a neuroscience journal, in early september, looking at existing research into hearing and alzheimer’s. one study suggested an estimated nine per cent of cases of dementia can be attributed to hearing loss.

“the challenge has been to explain how a disorder of the ear can lead to a degenerative problem in the brain,” says tim griffiths, from newcastle university’s faculty of medical sciences. “we suggest a new theory based on how we use what is generally considered to be the memory system in the brain when we have difficulty listening in real-world environments.”
the researchers looked into three main considerations: “a common underlying cause for hearing loss and dementia; lack of sound-related input leading to brain shrinking; and cognitive impairment resulting in people having to engage more brain resources to compensate for hearing loss, which then become unavailable for other tasks.”

studying findings from a variety of studies of dementia in humans and animals, the researchers focused on the temporal lobe , the part of the brain crucial to memory and also plays a role in processing sound.

related stories

brain banks need more brains
brain donations are helping researchers solve the mysteries of devastating diseases like dementia.
brain donations help researchers understand neurodegenerative diseases. stock/getty

what if your blood could diagnose alzheimer's before symptoms start?
study shows a blood test may detect the disease as early as 20 years before the onset of cognitive impairment.
study shows that alzheimer's disease may be diagnosed by blood test. stock/getty

advertisement

“this memory system engaged in difficult listening is the most common site for the onset of alzheimer’s disease,” says newcastle university’s will sedley. “we propose that altered activity in the memory system caused by hearing loss and the alzheimer’s disease process trigger each other.”
the researchers hope new studies will focus on testing the theory by tracking hearing impairment.

comments

postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. we ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. we have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. visit our community guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

you may also like
medical hospital: neurologist and neurosurgeon talk, use computer, analyse patient mri scan, diagnose brain. health clinic lab: two professional physicians look at functoning ct scan find treatment
study uncovers potential new way to reverse nerve damage in multiple sclerosis, other neurological diseases
kim babcock, and her mother ruth, on a beach.
how i care for alzheimer’s disease: 'give yourself some grace and … find moments of joy because they’re there'
ron beleno, with his father, who passed away from alzheimer's in 2018
my advocacy for alzheimer's disease: from caring for one to caring for all
young woman wearing virtual reality headset when having therapy session
5 ways virtual reality is improving patient experiences and health outcomes
cannabis in jar
study links cannabis use to lower risk of cognitive decline, dementia-related diseases
you may also like
medical hospital: neurologist and neurosurgeon talk, use computer, analyse patient mri scan, diagnose brain. health clinic lab: two professional physicians look at functoning ct scan find treatment
study uncovers potential new way to reverse nerve damage in multiple sclerosis, other neurological diseases
kim babcock, and her mother ruth, on a beach.
how i care for alzheimer’s disease: 'give yourself some grace and … find moments of joy because they’re there'
ron beleno, with his father, who passed away from alzheimer's in 2018
my advocacy for alzheimer's disease: from caring for one to caring for all
young woman wearing virtual reality headset when having therapy session
5 ways virtual reality is improving patient experiences and health outcomes
you may also like
medical hospital: neurologist and neurosurgeon talk, use computer, analyse patient mri scan, diagnose brain. health clinic lab: two professional physicians look at functoning ct scan find treatment
study uncovers potential new way to reverse nerve damage in multiple sclerosis, other neurological diseases
kim babcock, and her mother ruth, on a beach.
how i care for alzheimer’s disease: 'give yourself some grace and … find moments of joy because they’re there'