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Tinnitus, noise exposure and the risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study based on UK biobank
Qilu Zhang, Mengyao Shi, Jing Zhang, Xiaoxiao Wang, Yi Chen, Xiangyan Yin, Yonghong Zhang. Age and Ageing, 2025-03-28
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
During a median follow-up of 12.8 years, 2219 incident dementias were recorded. Compared with participants without tinnitus, those with tinnitus had a 10% increased risk of dementia (hazard ratios [HR]: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.00-1.20). Among the participants with tinnitus, compared with those with the lowest tinnitus severity, those with slight and moderate or severe tinnitus had 23% (95%CI: 1.03-1.46) and 64% (95%CI: 1.35-2.00) increased risks of dementia, respectively. Furthermore, compared with participants without exposure to noise, those with exposure to noise for more than 5 years had a 12% increased risk of dementia (HR: 1.12, 95%CI: 1.00-1.26). In addition, the longer time the participants exposed to noise, the higher the odds of having tinnitus (P for linear trend <.001). Tinnitus, tinnitus severity and long-term noise exposure were associated with incident dementia, and long-term noise exposure were related to tinnitus. Tinnitus and noise exposure are public health issues vital for dementia prevention.
Key findings
- During a median follow-up of 12.8 years, 2219 incident dementias were recorded.
- Compared with participants without tinnitus, those with tinnitus had a 10% increased risk of dementia (hazard ratios [HR]: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.00-1.20).
- Among the participants with tinnitus, compared with those with the lowest tinnitus severity, those with slight and moderate or severe tinnitus had 23% (95%CI: 1.03-1.46) and 64% (95%CI: 1.35-2.00) increased risks of dementia, respectively.
- Furthermore, compared with participants without exposure to noise, those with exposure to noise for more than 5 years had a 12% increased risk of dementia (HR: 1.12, 95%CI: 1.00-1.26).
- In addition, the longer time the participants exposed to noise, the higher the odds of having tinnitus (P for linear trend <.001).
Why it matters
In UK Biobank participants followed a median of 12.8 years, tinnitus was associated with a 10% higher risk of dementia, with higher risk for more severe tinnitus, and noise exposure over 5 years was associated with a 12% higher risk. These observational findings point to tinnitus and noise as public health targets for prevention but do not show that treating them prevents dementia.
Study details
- Participants32
- Effect sizeHR: 1.12
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Age and Ageing) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Age and Ageing: journal h-index 231 (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 | 1 / 4 | 32 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 4 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Yonghong Zhang: h-index 30 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Soochow University: institution h-index 635 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40237714) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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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 names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Zhang, Q., Shi, M., Zhang, J., Wang, X., Chen, Y., Yin, X., et al. (2025). Tinnitus, noise exposure and the risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study based on UK biobank. Age and Ageing. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaf097
Vancouver
Zhang Q, Shi M, Zhang J, Wang X, Chen Y, Yin X, et al. Tinnitus, noise exposure and the risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study based on UK biobank. Age and Ageing. 2025. doi:10.1093/ageing/afaf097. PMID: 40237714.
BibTeX
@article{zhang2025-40237714,
author = {Zhang, Qilu and Shi, Mengyao and Zhang, Jing and Wang, Xiaoxiao and Chen, Yi and Yin, Xiangyan and Zhang, Yonghong},
title = {{Tinnitus, noise exposure and the risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study based on UK biobank}},
journal = {Age and Ageing},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1093/ageing/afaf097},
pmid = {40237714},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaf097}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.