Doctors Health Press Reports on Study: Hearing Loss Increases Risk of Cognitive Problems - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

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SOURCE: Doctors Health Press

Doctors Health Press, a division of Lombardi Publishing Corporation and publisher of various natural health newsletters, books, and reports, including the popular online Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin, is reporting on a new study finding that older adults who have hearing loss are more likely to develop problems with thinking and remembering than their peers who have normal hearing.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) February 03, 2013

Doctors Health Press, a division of Lombardi Publishing Corporation and publisher of various natural health newsletters, books, and reports, including the popular online Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin, is reporting on a new study finding that older adults who have hearing loss are more likely to develop problems with thinking and remembering than their peers who have normal hearing.

As Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin (http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/cancer-articles/brain-cancer/hearing-loss-may-impact-your-mind) reports, the study had participants with hearing loss go through cognition tests over a period of six years. Their cognitive abilities declined 30%–40% faster than those of participants whose hearing was normal. How far the brain function declined was directly related to the amount of hearing loss. Translated into time, this means that older adults with hearing loss had significantly impaired cognitive abilities 3.2 years sooner than others.

As the article “Hearing Loss May Impact Your Mind” notes, hearing loss was deemed, as specialists agree, as recognizing only those sounds louder than 25 decibels. As many as 27 million Americans over age 50 may suffer hearing loss. That includes two-thirds of adults over 70.

The Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin article explains that, according to the researchers, it is possible that hearing loss is linked to social isolation and loneliness, which are risk factors for cognitive decline. Or, the brain spends too much energy processing sound, leaving less available for memory and thinking. This group of researchers will also be heading up a big study on whether hearing aids in older adults actually delay cognitive decline.

(SOURCE: Lin, F., et al., “Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults,” JAMA Intern Med. January 21, 2013: 1–7.)

Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin is a daily e-letter providing natural health news with a focus on natural healing through foods, herbs, and other breakthrough health alternative treatments. For more information on Doctors Health Press, visit http://www.doctorshealthpress.com.

Doctors Health Press believes in the healing properties of various alternative remedies, including Traditional Chinese Medicine. To see a video outlining the Doctors Health Press’ views on Traditional Chinese Medicine, visit http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/chinesemedicine.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/2/prweb10387417.htm