Hear to Think: Protecting Brain Health Through Better Hearing

How Does Hearing Loss Impact Brain Health And Cognition?

Your brain and ears share a remarkable relationship that goes far beyond simple sound perception. In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Jill Copley reveals the powerful connection between hearing health and cognitive function that could change how you think about those missed conversations.

Did you know that untreated hearing loss actually causes parts of your brain to atrophy and shrink? Dr. Copley walks us through fascinating research showing how hearing difficulties force your brain to work harder (called cognitive load), potentially accelerating memory problems and cognitive decline. We explore multiple pathways through which hearing loss impacts brain health—from social isolation to physical changes in brain structure—all supported by over a decade of large-scale, peer-reviewed studies.

But there's hopeful news too. Proper hearing aid use can reverse some brain changes in as little as six months, demonstrating our brain's remarkable ability to heal when given proper stimulation. Dr. Copley emphasizes the importance of early intervention, recommending initial hearing evaluations between ages 50-55, even without noticeable hearing difficulties. The comprehensive approach at Total Hearing Care includes cognitive screening to catch potential issues before they progress.

Whether you're concerned about your own hearing or care for someone who struggles to follow conversations, this episode provides critical information about protecting brain health through better hearing. Take the first step toward preserving your cognitive function by scheduling a hearing evaluation today—because when you hear better, you truly do live better.

To learn more about Total Hearing Care visit:
https://www.TotalHearingCare.com

Total Hearing Care
Multiple Locations Across the DFW Metroplex
(469) 809-4487

Transcript

Introducing Total Hearing Care Difference

Speaker 1 0:00

Welcome to the Total Hearing Care Difference where we help you experience life through better hearing. Hosted by the experts at Total Hearing Care, a leading private audiology practice serving the DFW Metroplex, we're here to provide guidance on hearing loss, tinnitus and the latest advancements in audiology. Transform your life through better hearing. Let's get started. Transform your life through better hearing.

Speaker 2 0:26

Let's get started. Hearing loss is more than an inconvenience. It's a cognitive concern. Learn how untreated hearing issues may affect memory, mental sharpness and long-term brain health. Welcome back everyone. I'm Sofia Yvette, co-host slash producer, back in the studio with Dr Jill Copley. Dr Copley, how's it going today?

Speaker 3 0:50

Oh, I'm great, I'm glad to be here to talk about cognition and brain health.

Speaker 2 0:55

Yes, and I am so glad to have you back on today. Now, today we're tuning into a deeper conversation how hearing connects to the brain and what that means for long life wellness. So, Dr Copley, how does hearing loss impact brain health and cognition?

Speaker 3 1:15

Okay, so that is a complex question, but there are probably since 2010, 2011, there's been a lot of large scale studies peer, peer-reviewed studies which are important when we look at studies linking hearing loss to cognitive decline and memory loss, and so we want to affect that in the way we can, which is to help people hear better. So there's a lot of theories as to why this may happen. One of them is that people with hearing loss may not be as social, and of course, there's lots of studies out there that show that if you're more social, you have a close-knit group of friends or family you tend to live longer, you tend to stay sharper, as you mentioned, and so people might start to isolate themselves if they have hearing loss. Another theory is called cognitive load.

Speaker 3 2:16

When you don't have hearing loss, your brain is able to process a lot of different things in the environment, whether it be background noise, bad acoustics, things like that. When you have hearing loss, it's much harder for your brain to process that information. Your brain is working harder. When your brain has to work harder, then you have more cognitive load that you're dealing with. Also, studies have shown that you actually have brain changes when you can't hear. So we think about hearing loss as just sound going into the ears, but actually the brain processes that information and some of the studies have shown that your brain cells and parts of your brain will atrophy and not work as well when you have hearing loss.

Speaker 2 3:12

Wow. Now what does current research say about the link between hearing loss and cognitive decline?

Speaker 3 3:22

So that research that started in 2011 has just continued and the studies are very consistent. What they're looking at now is how do hearing aids actually affect cognitive decline? So we know that they're related and we've shown proof of that through all these studies over the past 20, 25 years, but do hearing aids actually help? So hearing aids can help, certainly with isolation, with cognitive load. There are some studies showing that hearing instruments will help change that brain atrophy and actually reverse it. So that's good news, and there are some smaller studies showing that hearing instruments are improving cognitive decline. There are other studies that show that's not happening. However, in the studies that do show that it's happening, they're actually looking at severity of hearing loss, and so people that have a certain severity are probably going to do better and have less cognitive decline, whereas the other studies are just based on people saying they have hearing loss, so it's not actually looking at the true hearing loss per se looking at the true hearing loss per se.

Speaker 2 4:55

Now, how can hearing aids help?

Speaker 3 4:56

preserve brain function over time.

Speaker 3 4:57

So, like I said, there's several different aspects to that.

Speaker 3 5:01

I really like the studies that are showing that hearing loss causes some atrophy in the brain and then when you wear hearing aids it may be only for six months you start to see less atrophy and the brain starts to work better.

Speaker 3 5:18

So I'm sure people have heard that when your brain isn't functioning for one thing, like maybe a vision loss, then the brain is going to use the occipital lobe to do other things, and that's the same thing with hearing loss. Your temporal lobe, where hearing occurs, isn't working as well, so maybe your vision takes over and is helping you, but what these studies are showing is that the brain can actually change back and use the temporal lobe, and so I think that's where the exciting research is. But, as you've mentioned and we've said, it also helps with social isolation. One study and this was done a long time ago, I think 98, 99, showed that people said that when they wore hearing instruments their health actually got better, and I found that interesting, because we're not giving medication, you're not having surgery, we're not doing anything like that except having you listen better, and so there are a lot of health effects, as well as brain effects.

Speaker 2 6:27

Wow, now are there any other main things you would like to capitalize off of today? Dr Copley, when it comes to hearing losses impact on brain health and cognition.

Speaker 3 6:42

Well, I think there's two things. First is get your hearing checked early, and so it's recommended now that you have at least your first hearing exam between like the ages of 50 and 55. If we catch it early, your rate of cognitive decline will slow down. Now we may not be able to prevent dementia, because dementia, as we probably suspect, has some genetic components to it, but we want to prevent cognitive decline, and the way we can do that is catch it early, get you fit with hearing instruments, and so a good place to start. One of the things we do is we do a cognitive screening, because if you fail that cognitive screening, then we can get you to a neurologist or your physician to address it and do more testing, because the sooner you address that and the sooner you address your hearing, the better it's going to be and it will keep you healthier long term.

Speaker 2 7:45

Amazing. Wow, this is such an important topic that we're covering today. It really is. It really is. Thank you so much for walking us through the science and care strategies. We'll see you again soon for more insights on the Total Hearing Care Difference podcast.

Speaker 3 8:05

Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 1 8:22

Thank you for listening, for having me, because when you hear better, you live better. See you next time.