Recent Blog Articles

Why eat lower on the seafood chain?

Can long COVID affect the gut?

When replenishing fluids, does milk beat water?

Safe, joyful movement for people of all weights

Slowing down racing thoughts

Are women turning to cannabis for menopause symptom relief?

3 ways to create community and counter loneliness

Helping children make friends: What parents can do

Can electrical brain stimulation boost attention, memory, and more?

Palliative care frightens some people: Here’s how it helps
Mind & Mood
Hearing aids: Can they help thinking skills, too?
News briefs
- By Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
Hearing aids and similar devices may do more than help you detect sound better. A large analysis published online Dec. 5, 2022, by JAMA Neurology suggests the devices might play a role in protecting your thinking abilities. Scientists reviewed dozens of randomized controlled trials and observational studies that looked at the cognitive effects of hearing aids or cochlear implants (implanted devices that translate sounds into electrical signals and transmit them to the brain). The research involved more than 137,000 people who were followed from two to 25 years, depending on the study. Compared with people who didn’t use the devices, people who did use them had a 19% lower risk of cognitive decline. Using the devices was also tied to a 3% improvement in cognitive test scores. Scientists say there could be many reasons for the associations. For example, it could be that hearing aids help people take part in conversations, staving off social isolation, which is associated with dementia. And since hearing aids are more accessible and affordable than ever, it might be time to consider getting a device if you notice a change in your hearing.
Image: © peakSTOCK/Getty Images
About the Author

Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
You might also be interested in…

Coping with Hearing Loss: A guide to prevention and treatment
If you think you might need a hearing checkup, you probably do. This Special Health Report, Coping with Hearing Loss: A guide to prevention and treatment, contains in-depth information on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss. You'll learn how to prevent hearing loss and preserve the hearing you have now. You'll also learn about the latest advances in hearing aid technology and find out which kind of hearing device may be best for you.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!