In this BrainHearing™ Network webinar, we were thrilled to present an enlightening session with Dr. Dona Jayakody, head of Brain and Hearing at the Ear Science Institute Australia. Dr. Jayakody shared profound insights into the far-reaching impacts of untreated hearing loss on healthy aging.
Dr. Jayakody’s research suggests that hearing loss may affect cognitive health, mental well-being, frailty, and social interactions. Her presentation, filled with robust research, aligns with our BrainHearing™ philosophy. At Oticon, we recognise the brain’s exceptional sound processing abilities. We have a unique understanding of how the brain makes sense of sound. Rather than only focusing on the ears, we think brain first. Our goal is to provide the most natural hearing experience. For the brain to work in a natural way, it needs access to all sounds – not just speech. We use the philosophy of BrainHearing to develop technology that provides the brain with access to the full sound environment. Because the more sound information the brain has to work with, the better the brain can perform.
Our latest BrainHearing™ insights reveal that people’s communication behaviour reflects their listening needs and intentions via head and body movements. This is why our latest BrainHearing™ technology in Oticon Intent™ provides the full sound scene and intent-based personalisation, as it understands each user’s listening intentions and seamlessly supports individual listening needs – even within the same sound environment.
Untreated hearing loss: a global concern
Dr. Jayakody started by emphasizing the staggering prevalence of hearing loss worldwide, noting that it affects over 1.3 billion people. In Australia alone, one in six individuals suffers from disabling hearing loss, a number expected to rise to one in four by 2050. This widespread condition often leads to prolonged periods without seeking help, with many individuals waiting an average of nine years before addressing their hearing difficulties.
Health implications and social consequences
One of the key takeaways from Dr. Jayakody's talk was the multifaceted impact of untreated hearing loss on overall health. Untreated hearing loss doesn't just impair communication; it significantly increases the risk of social isolation, loneliness, physical frailty, and mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and stress. Dr. Jayakody's research highlights that hearing loss imposes additional demands on communication partners, often leading to frustration and reduced social interactions (Jayakody et al., 2022).
The critical difference between social isolation and loneliness was explained by Dr. Jayakody. While social isolation refers to having a limited network of social contacts, loneliness is an unpleasant feeling arising from a discrepancy between desired and existing social relationships. Both conditions are closely linked to increased risks of cognitive impairment and dementia.
People with hearing loss are at a greater risk of developing depression, anxiety and stress (Lawrence et al., 2020). Moreover, hearing loss is associated with clinically significant depression, anxiety and stress scores (Jayakody et al., 2018).
Dr. Jayakody also presented evidence that hearing loss is associated with increased risk of frailty (Tian et al., 2021). Men with hearing loss were more likely to develop physical frailty compared to their normal-hearing peers (Tian et al., 2023). Her findings also align with other evidence that supports hearing loss as a significant marker in frailty (Panza et al., 2015).
Cognitive decline and benefits of hearing interventions
The association between hearing loss and cognitive decline was another significant focus. Dr. Jayakody cited studies indicating that older adults with untreated hearing loss are at a higher risk of developing cognitive impairments, including dementia. This association is thought to stem from the increased cognitive load, listening fatigue and social isolation experienced by those with hearing difficulties.
There is a significant gap amongst audiologists in the knowledge and practice of supporting older adults with hearing loss and dementia (Je, 2021). Dr. Jayakody also highlighted the importance of considering the use of objective methods when it comes to assessing hearing status and programming hearing devices in older adults with dementia.
Encouragingly, Dr. Jayakody presented evidence that treating hearing loss with hearing aids or cochlear implants can have substantial benefits. Studies have shown these interventions can stabilize depression, anxiety, and stress levels over time. Moreover, hearing aids and cochlear implants can improve cognitive functions and speech perception, thereby enhancing overall quality of life.
Dr. Jayakody also presented the HearCog study, which aims to assess whether hearing aids would decrease the rate of cognitive decline in people with mild cognitive impairment over 24 months. HearCog also serves to examine the impact of hearing aids on memory, executive functions, quality of life, mental state, and physical health. Currently, she and her team are in the process of analysing these results.
Community support and looking ahead
The role of community support and peer groups in mitigating the impacts of hearing loss was also emphasised. Dr. Jayakody's research reveals that participation in peer support groups, whether community-based or online, can significantly reduce feelings of loneliness and social isolation. These groups provide a platform for sharing experiences, coping strategies, and empowerment.
As Dr. Jayakody concluded, the importance of early identification and intervention of cognitive decline cannot be overstated. Creating awareness, providing support, and encouraging the use of hearing aids and other assistive devices are crucial steps in addressing the broader health implications of untreated hearing loss.
Key takeaways
To sum up, we have learned that:
- People with hearing loss are at increased risk of developing depression, anxiety and stress. As severity of hearing loss increases, clinically significant scores measuring depression, anxiety and stress also increase.
- People who are older, especially those with poor hearing, have poorer social interaction scores. Poor hearing is also associated with higher rates of emotional loneliness.
- Peer support groups and communication training for people with hearing loss are equally important as using hearing devices as treatment for hearing loss.
- There is a trend that men with hearing loss are more likely to develop physical frailty.
- Older adults with untreated hearing loss are at greater risk of developing cognitive decline.
- The HearCog study investigates whether using hearing aids would decrease the rate of cognitive decline in people with mild cognitive impairment over 24 months.
For more insights, you can watch the full webinar recording on the Oticon website.
References
Fu, X., Liu, B., Wang, S., Eikelboom, R. H., & Jayakody, D. M. P. (2021). The relationship between hearing loss and cognitive impairment in a Chinese elderly population: The baseline analysis. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15, 749273. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2021.749273
Fu, X., Eikelboom, R. H., Tian, R., Liu, B., Wang, S., & Jayakody, D. M. P. (2023). The relationship of age-related hearing loss with cognitive decline and dementia in a sinitic language-speaking adult population: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Innovation in Aging, 7(1), igac078. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igac078
Jayakody, D., Fracs, P., Eikelboom, R., Martins, R., & Sohrabi, H. (2017). A novel study on association between untreated hearing loss and cognitive functions of older adults: Baseline non-verbal cognitive assessment results. Clinical Otolaryngology: Official Journal of ENT-UK; Official Journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery, 43. https://doi.org/10.1111/coa.12937
Jayakody, D. M. P., Almeida, O. P., Speelman, C. P., Bennett, R. J., Moyle, T. C., Yiannos, J. M., & Friedland, P. L. (2018). Association between speech and high-frequency hearing loss and depression, anxiety and stress in older adults. Maturitas, 110, 86–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.02.002
Jayakody, D. M. P., Friedland, P. L., Nel, E., Martins, R. N., Atlas, M. D., & Sohrabi, H. R. (2018). Impact of cochlear implantation on cognitive functions of older adults: Pilot test results. Otology & Neurotology: Official Publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology, 39(4), 514–515. https://doi.org/10.1097/MAO.0000000000001768
Jayakody, D. M. P., Menegola, H. K., Yiannos, J. M., Goodman-Simpson, J., Friedland, P. L., Taddei, K., Laws, S. M., Weinborn, M., Martins, R. N., & Sohrabi, H. R. (2020). The peripheral hearing and central auditory processing skills of individuals with subjective memory complaints. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 14, 888. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.00888
Jayakody, D. M. P., Tan, Y. M. E., Livings, I., Costello, L., Flicker, L., & Almeida, O. P. (2022). Australian older adults’ views on using social media for reducing social isolation and loneliness in hearing impaired older adults: A community conversation. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 41(4), 585–589. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.13137
Jayakody, D. M. P., Wishart, J., Stegeman, I., Eikelboom, R., Moyle, T. C., Yiannos, J. M., Goodman-Simpson, J. J., & Almeida, O. P. (2022). Is there an association between untreated hearing loss and psychosocial outcomes? Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 14, 868673. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.868673
Je, G. (2021). Masters in audiology project.
Lawrence, B. J., Jayakody, D. M. P., Bennett, R. J., Eikelboom, R. H., Gasson, N., & Friedland, P. L. (2020). Hearing loss and depression in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Gerontologist, 60(3), e137–e154. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnz009
Panza, F., Solfrizzi, V., Barulli, M. R., Santamato, A., Seripa, D., Pilotto, A., & Logroscino, G. (2015). Cognitive frailty: A systematic review of epidemiological and neurobiological evidence of an age-related clinical condition. Rejuvenation research, 18(5), 389-412.
Tarawneh, H. Y., Mulders, W. H., Sohrabi, H. R., Martins, R. N., & Jayakody, D. M. (2021). Investigating auditory electrophysiological measures of participants with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of event-related potential studies. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 84(1), 419. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-210556
Tarawneh, H. Y., Menegola, H. K., Peou, A., Tarawneh, H., & Jayakody, D. M. P. (2022). Central auditory functions of Alzheimer’s disease and its preclinical stages: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cells, 11(6), 1007. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11061007
Tian, R., Almeida, O. P., Jayakody, D. M. P., & Ford, A. H. (2021). Association between hearing loss and frailty: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Geriatrics, 21(1), 333. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-021-02274-y
Tian, R., Trevenen, M., Ford, A. H., Jayakody, D. M. P., Hankey, G. J., Yeap, B. B., Golledge, J., Flicker, L., & Almeida, O. P. (2023). Hearing impairment and incident frailty in later life: The health in men study (HIMS). The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, 27(4), 264–269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-023-1901-1
Zaar, J., Simonsen, L. B., & Laugesen, S. (2024a). A spectro-temporal modulation test for predicting speech reception in hearing-impaired listeners with hearing aids. Hearing Research 443: 443:108949. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2024.108949.
Zaar, J., Simonsen, L. B., Sanchez-Lopez, R., & Laugesen, S. (2024b). The Audible Contrast Threshold (ACT™) test: a clinical spectro-temporal modulation detection test. Hearing Research 453: 109103. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2024.109103.
Zaar, J., Ihly, P., Nishiyama, T., Laugesen, S., Santurette, S., Tanaka, C., ... & Jürgens, T. (2023, October 16). Predicting speech-in-noise reception in hearing-impaired listeners with hearing aids using the Audible Contrast Threshold (ACT™) test. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/m9khu