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Hearing impairment and dementia: cause, catalyst or consequence?
Benjamin Aaron Levett, Avinash Chandra, Jessica Jiang, Nehzat Koohi, Dale Sharrad, Lucy B. Core, Jeremy C. S. Johnson, Madison Tutton et al.. Journal of Neurology, 2025-05-16
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The relationship between hearing impairment and dementia has attracted significant attention, the 2024 Lancet Commission report identifying hearing loss as the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia from mid-life. The nature of this linkage between dementia and hearing remains unclear and is likely to be complex. In principle, hearing impairment could cause (directly promote), catalyze (amplify) or be a consequence of neurodegenerative pathology and cognitive decline. Here we use this framework to examine different lines of evidence for the association between hearing impairment and dementia, and consider how this evidence speaks to potential mechanisms and treatment implications. We conclude by considering practical clinical implications for management of patients with hearing impairment and dementia, the potential role for central hearing tests as 'auditory biomarkers' of dementia, and the need for further collaborative and mechanistically motivated research in this area.
Key findings
- The relationship between hearing impairment and dementia has attracted significant attention, the 2024 Lancet Commission report identifying hearing loss as the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia from mid-life.
- We conclude by considering practical clinical implications for management of patients with hearing impairment and dementia, the potential role for central hearing tests as 'auditory biomarkers' of dementia, and the need for further collaborative and mechanistically motivated research in this area.
Why it matters
This review examines whether hearing impairment could cause, catalyze or be a consequence of neurodegenerative pathology and cognitive decline, noting that the 2024 Lancet Commission report identified hearing loss as the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia from mid-life. It concludes that the nature of the link remains unclear and calls for further mechanistically motivated research, so it does not establish that treating hearing loss prevents dementia.
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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 (Journal of Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Neurology: journal h-index 208 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 | 3 / 7 | Cited 17 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 17 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Jason D. Warren: h-index 95 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 13 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40377748) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1007/s00415-025-13140-x
- PubMed: 40377748
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Neurology →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Levett, B. A., Chandra, A., Jiang, J., Koohi, N., Sharrad, D., Core, L. B., et al. (2025). Hearing impairment and dementia: cause, catalyst or consequence? Journal of Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-025-13140-x
Vancouver
Levett BA, Chandra A, Jiang J, Koohi N, Sharrad D, Core LB, et al. Hearing impairment and dementia: cause, catalyst or consequence? Journal of Neurology. 2025. doi:10.1007/s00415-025-13140-x. PMID: 40377748.
BibTeX
@article{levett2025-40377748,
author = {Levett, Benjamin Aaron and Chandra, Avinash and Jiang, Jessica and Koohi, Nehzat and Sharrad, Dale and Core, Lucy B. and Johnson, Jeremy C. S. and Tutton, Madison and others},
title = {{Hearing impairment and dementia: cause, catalyst or consequence?}},
journal = {Journal of Neurology},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1007/s00415-025-13140-x},
pmid = {40377748},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-025-13140-x}
}
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