Neuroscience Professor Wingfield’s Advice for Hearing Loss

Neuroscience professor Arthur Wingfield has advised, “The study is a wake-up call to anyone who works with older people, including healthcare professionals, to be especially sensitive to how hearing loss can affect cognitive function.” Professor Wingfield advises anyone who works with older adults to modify how they speak to older adults, not necessarily dramatically slowing down their speech. Anyone who interacts with older adults who may have hearing loss should be aware this condition may also affect their memory.

Short term memory is a function of the brain that allows people to access events and information which has occurred recently. When hearing loss affects the capacity of an adult to access this recently saved information, conversation and interaction with others can become extremely difficult. Physicians and caregivers who interact with aging adults should be cognizant of possible hearing loss which may exacerbate an existing memory loss condition.

Physicians attempting to diagnose the exact nature and extent of a medical condition affecting the memory of a patient should also suggest the patient set up a full hearing exam with an audiologist. The diagnosis of a hearing problem, existing in conjunction with a memory loss problem, should be considered when determining a course of treatment for the memory loss condition. Audiologists should also be aware of any potential memory loss problems that may exist in conjunction with a diagnosis of hearing loss. When any aging patient presents minor memory loss issues, they should also be examined by a neurologist for diagnosis and treatment of any serious medical conditions which may exist.

Treating hearing loss has been determined to lessen the extent and severity of an existing memory loss condition. When the patient has to expend less brain power on attempting to hear clearly their brain is more able to concentrate on short and long term memory function. Hearing aids are the most popular treatment for common hearing loss conditions. Modern digital hearing aids are excellent at separating sounds that need to be amplified and blocking confusing ambient noise. This functionality of digital hearing aids allows the patient to hear clearly, nearly without having to concentrate at all on conversation.

I hope all can see the importance of early detection and early correction for hearing loss.

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