Wearing a Hearing Aid May Prevent Dementia, Promote Mental Sharpness in Older Adults

U.K. research presented at the recent Alzheimer's Association International Conference found individuals who wear a hearing aid for age-related hearing issues tend to maintain superior brain functioning and cognition versus those who do not, reports StudyFinds.org . A total of 50,000 people over the age of 50 were split into two groups — one group wore hearing aids for age-related hearing problems, and one did not. Annual cognitive tests taken over the course of two years revealed the hearing aid cohort performed better on working memory and attention tasks, and had faster everyday reaction times. "Our work . . . suggests that wearing a hearing aid could actually protect the brain," says lead researcher Anne Corbett. "We now need more research and a clinical trial to test this and perhaps feed into policy to help keep people healthy in later life."