Improvement in the cognitive function in older adults with a hearing impairment by the use of hearing aids

Abstract

We investigated whether depression, communication function, and cognitive function in adults with a hearing impairment were improved with the use of hearing aids. The study group comprised 27 patients with sensorineural hearing loss who were fitted with hearing aids. All patients were assessed using the GDS (geriatric depression Scale), QDS (Quantified Denver Scale of Communication Function), HDS-R (Hasegawa's Dementia Scale-1 Revised), and MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination) prior to the fitting of hearing aids. All patients were reassessed by these tests after 1 year, and 18 patients of these cases were also reassessed after 2 years. The MMSE score improved from before the start of hearing aid use for up to 2 years after hearing use. However, there was no change in any of the scores after only 1 year. The items of improvement in MMSE score were attention/concentration (calculation), verbal comprehension, constructional praxis, which were related to an individual's working memory. This suggests that the cognitive function improved due to an increase in the working memory in elderly individuals who use hearing aids.