Longitudinal trajectories of memory among middle-aged and older people with hearing loss

  • \(\bf Introduction:\) Cochlear implants (CI) are the gold standard intervention for severe to profound hearing loss, a known modifiable risk factor for dementia. However, it remains unknown whether CI use might prevent the age-related cognitive decline. Recent studies are encouraging but are limited, mainly by short follow-up periods and, for ethical reasons, lack of appropriate control groups. Further, as age-related cognitive decline is multifaceted and not linear, other statistical approaches have to be evaluated. \(\textbf {Materials and methods:}\) Immediate and delayed recall as measures of cognitive function were assessed in 75 newly implanted CI users (mean age 65.41 years \(\pm\) 9.19) for up to 5 years (mean 4.5 \(\pm\) 0.5) of CI use and compared to 8,077 subjects of the same age range from two longitudinal cohort studies, the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA). Linear and quadratic changes in cognitive trajectories were analyzed in detail using mixed growth models, considering possible confounders. \(\bf Results:\) For CI users, the linear time slope showed a significant improvement in the specific domains (recall and delayed recall) over time. The quadratic time slope clearly indicated that the predicted change after CI provision followed an inverted U-shape with a predicted decline 2 years after CI provision. In the hearing-impaired group, a significant decline over time was found, with steeper declines early on and the tendency to flatten out in the follow-up. \(\bf Conclusion:\) Cochlear implant use seems to boost cognitive trajectories in the first years after implantation. However, long-term prevention of dementia seems to need far more than restoration of hearing loss.

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Metadaten
Author:Christiane VölterORCiDGND, Lisa GötzeORCiDGND, Stefan DazertORCiDGND, Jan Peter ThomasORCiDGND, Stefan Thomas KaminGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:hbz:294-109431
DOI:https://doi.org/doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1220184
Parent Title (English):Frontiers in aging neuroscience
Subtitle (English):the influence of cochlear implant use on cognitive functioning
Publisher:Frontiers Research Foundation
Place of publication:Lausanne
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2024/02/28
Date of first Publication:2023/09/14
Publishing Institution:Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsbibliothek
Tag:Open Access Fonds
cochlear implantation; cognitive decline; dementia; hearing loss; multilevel growth model
Volume:15
Issue:Article 1220184
First Page:1220184-01
Last Page:1220184-10
Note:
Article Processing Charge funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Open Access Publication Fund of Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
Institutes/Facilities:Katholisches Klinikum Bochum, Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde
Dewey Decimal Classification:Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / Medizin, Gesundheit
open_access (DINI-Set):open_access
Licence (English):License LogoCreative Commons - CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International