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Age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline - The potential mechanisms linking the two
Uchida Y, Sugiura S, Nishita Y, Saji N, Sone M, Ueda H.. Auris, nasus, larynx, 2018-09-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The amount of attention to age-related hearing loss (ARHL) has been growing, not only from the perspective of being one of the most common health conditions affecting older adults, but also from the perspective of its relation to cognition. Results from a number of epidemiological and laboratory studies have demonstrated a significant link between ARHL and cognitive decline. The Lancet International Commission on Dementia, Prevention, Intervention, and Care has estimated that mid-life hearing loss, if eliminated, might decrease the risk of dementia by nine percent, since hearing loss is a modifiable age-associated condition linked to dementia. Despite numerous research efforts, elucidation of the underlying causal relationships between auditory and cognitive decline has not yet reached a consensus. In this review article, we focused on the hypotheses of etiological mechanisms between ARHL and cognitive decline: (1) cognitive load hypothesis; (2) common cause hypothesis; (3) cascade hypothesis; and (4) overdiagnosis or harbinger hypothesis. Factual evidence obtained in previous studies was assessed to understand the link between ARHL and cognitive decline or dementia. Additionally, an overview of the conceivable effects of hearing intervention, e.g., hearing aids and cochlear implants, on cognition were presented, and the role of hearing aid use was considered for the relevant hypotheses. We should continue to strive for social enlightenment towards the importance of 'hearing well', and cultivate a necessity for hearing screening among patients at risk of cognitive decline.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Uchida, Y., Sugiura, S., Nishita, Y., Saji, N., Sone, M., & Ueda, H. (2019). Age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline - The potential mechanisms linking the two. Auris, nasus, larynx. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anl.2018.08.010
Vancouver
Uchida Y, Sugiura S, Nishita Y, Saji N, Sone M, Ueda H. Age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline - The potential mechanisms linking the two. Auris, nasus, larynx. 2019. doi:10.1016/j.anl.2018.08.010. PMID: 30177417.
BibTeX
@article{uchida2019-30177417,
author = {Uchida, Y. and Sugiura, S. and Nishita, Y. and Saji, N. and Sone, M. and Ueda, H.},
title = {{Age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline - The potential mechanisms linking the two}},
journal = {Auris, nasus, larynx},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1016/j.anl.2018.08.010},
pmid = {30177417},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anl.2018.08.010}
}
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Key findings
- Results from a number of epidemiological and laboratory studies have demonstrated a significant link between ARHL and cognitive decline.
Why it matters
This review of earlier epidemiological and laboratory studies lays out four competing explanations for why age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline go together: cognitive load, a common cause, a cascade, and hearing loss as an early sign (or overdiagnosis) of decline. It repeats the Lancet Commission's estimate, not its own finding, that eliminating mid-life hearing loss might lower dementia risk by nine percent. It also says the cause-and-effect question "has not yet reached a consensus" and that hearing aids' and implants' effects on cognition are still only "conceivable". Its practical advice is to take "hearing well" seriously and to screen hearing in people at risk of cognitive decline.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Auris, nasus, larynx) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Auris Nasus Larynx: journal h-index 77 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 357 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 39.7 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 12.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 11 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 163 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Hiromi H. Ueda: h-index 30 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Nagoya University: institution h-index 758 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30177417) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.anl.2018.08.010
- PubMed: 30177417
- Original source →
- Free full text: Auris Nasus Larynx →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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