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Parkinson Weekly
Parkinson Weekly is your go-to podcast for the latest insights in Parkinson’s disease. Each week, Professor Bas Bloem, Consultant Neurologist in the Department of Neurology at Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, takes you through his chosen “Article of the Week” – highlighting new research, clinical perspectives, and what it means for patients, carers, and healthcare professionals.
Have a question you’d like Bas to answer on the podcast? Email us at parkinsonweekly@gmail.com – we’d love to hear from you.
Stay informed, stay connected, and join us every week for clear, expert-led discussions on Parkinson’s.
Parkinson Weekly
EP 21 - Article Of The Week: Hearing Loss in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
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🎙️ We’re back with the twenty first episode of Parkinson Weekly, hosted by Prof. Bas Bloem.
In this episode, Bas explores a surprising and often overlooked question: is hearing loss part of the Parkinson’s disease phenotype?
Discussing a 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Movement Disorders, he highlights compelling evidence that hearing impairment is common in Parkinson’s — affecting nearly 80% of patients across pooled studies. High-frequency hearing loss was particularly prevalent, and abnormalities in central auditory processing suggest this is not simply age-related decline, but potentially linked to Parkinson’s-specific brain changes.
Bas reflects on why this matters clinically, including the association between hearing loss, cognitive decline, and social isolation. The key message: hearing impairment is common, under-recognised, and should not be dismissed as “just ageing.”
An important episode that broadens our understanding of the non-motor and sensory features of Parkinson’s disease.
👉 You can read the full article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41618507/
And don't forget, you can listen here:
Have a question you’d like Bas to answer in a future episode? Email us at parkinsonweekly@gmail.com – we’d love to hear from you.