New Study Finds 61% Reduced Dementia Risk Among Hearing Aid Users Under 70

Addressing hearing loss earlier in life could help protect brain health decades later. A new study published in JAMA Neurology reports that people with hearing loss who begin using hearing aids in their 60s may significantly lower their risk of developing dementia.

The findings suggest that the timing of intervention matters: while hearing aids reduced dementia risk in participants under 70, no such benefit was observed for those 70 and older.

Early Intervention Shows Strongest Impact

The research, led by Lily Francis, MBBS, MPhil, and senior author Sudha Seshadri, MD, drew on decades of data from the Framingham Heart Study, which has followed multiple generations of participants since 1948.

Nearly 3,000 adults aged 60 and older without dementia at baseline underwent audiometric testing in the late 1970s or mid-1990s and were tracked for up to 20 years.

During that time, 583 individuals (20%) developed dementia. Among participants who were younger than 70 at their hearing evaluation, those with hearing loss who wore hearing aids had a 61% lower risk of developing dementia compared with peers who had untreated hearing loss (HR 0.39; 95% CI, 0.17–0.89; P = .03).

Those without hearing loss also had reduced dementia risk compared with untreated peers (HR 0.71; 95% CI, 0.54–0.95; P = .02). Importantly, these protective associations remained even after adjusting for education and vascular risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, and diabetes.

In contrast, for participants aged 70 and older at hearing assessment, hearing aid use was not linked with a lower risk of dementia.

“This study highlights the importance of early intervention for hearing loss as a possible prevention strategy for dementia,” the authors wrote.

Why Early Hearing Care Matters

The new analysis may be the first to show that the benefits of hearing aid use depend on age of intervention, not just use itself. Previous studies, including the ACHIEVE randomized clinical trial and large meta-analyses, had shown that hearing aids may protect against cognitive decline, but most focused on people over 70. This research shifts attention earlier—to the 60–69 age group—underscoring the need to act sooner.

Globally, however, delays are common. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 430 million people live with disabling hearing loss, yet on average individuals wait up to nine years after diagnosis before getting a hearing aid.

“When hearing becomes impaired, it’s not just about struggling with sounds; it forces the brain to work harder” explained Dr. Sigurd Brandt, medical director at LISTEN TO THIS, a global initiative focused on hearing and brain health.

“Imagine trying to understand a sentence while missing every third word. The brain, we think, compensates by diverting energy from processing what’s being said to simply trying to hear it. Over time, that increased cognitive load can wear on attention and memory.”

The Brain-Hearing Connection

Dr. Brandt noted several mechanisms that may explain the observed link between untreated hearing loss and dementia:

• Cognitive strain: Constantly filling in missing sounds may increase mental fatigue and accelerate cognitive decline.

• Brain structure changes: “Without regular auditory stimulation, evidence suggests that parts of the brain can shrink,” Brandt said. “Although the brain attempts to adapt by reorganizing itself, that compensation comes at a cost.”

• Social isolation: Hearing loss often leads to withdrawal from social situations. “People experiencing both hearing loss and social isolation face a 70% higher risk of developing dementia compared to those without these challenges,” he added.

Potential for Global Impact

While hearing aids cannot cure dementia, they may represent one of the most accessible strategies for prevention. A 2020 report in The Lancet suggested that addressing hearing loss could prevent up to 7% of dementia cases worldwide.

“While hearing aids aren’t a cure-all, evidence suggests they can slow the decline in cognitive abilities, especially for those most at risk. Globally, unaddressed hearing loss costs the economy nearly US $1 trillion every year. By championing hearing health across sectors, we can play a vital role in reducing dementia’s burden and improving quality of life.”

–Dr. Sigurd Brandt

Broader Benefits of Hearing Aid Use

Beyond reducing dementia risk, treating hearing loss delivers other measurable benefits:

• Improved well-being and confidence: Better hearing reduces loneliness and reconnects individuals with family, friends, and colleagues.

• Increased productivity: Addressing hearing loss improves workplace communication, collaboration, and focus.

• Enhanced safety: Awareness of environmental sounds like alarms and traffic improves personal safety.

Observational But Compelling

The authors cautioned that the study was observational and cannot prove causality. Hearing aid use was measured with a binary yes/no response, without detail on how consistently devices were worn. Socioeconomic differences beyond education were also not captured, and it’s possible that hearing aid users had better access to healthcare overall.

Still, the study’s strengths—including a large cohort, standardized hearing evaluations, and follow-up spanning two decades—make it a significant contribution to understanding the link between hearing care and brain health.

With only 17% of people with moderate to severe hearing loss using hearing aids, the findings highlight the urgency of earlier adoption.

“No single discipline can solve this challenge alone,” Brandt said. “But by acting sooner rather than later, we can protect not only hearing but also long-term brain health.”

Reference:

• Francis L, Seshadri S, Dillard LK, et al. Self-Reported Hearing Aid Use and Risk of Incident Dementia. JAMA Neurol. Published online August 18, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.2713

New Study Finds 61% Reduced Dementia Risk Among Hearing Aid Users Under 70 | Hearing Health & Technology Matters