Hearing Loss and Its Link to Dementia
Psychology Today
by Richard Restak M.D.February 24, 2026
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Hearing loss is a significant public health issue affecting approximately 73 million people in the United States, or nearly one in five individuals. The prevalence increases with age, doubling every decade after age 60, with over two-thirds of those aged 60 and older experiencing some form of hearing impairment. Beyond its impact on daily communication, untreated hearing loss is strongly linked to cognitive decline and dementia. According to the Lancet Commission on Dementia (2020), hearing loss in middle-aged individuals and beyond is the single largest risk factor for dementia. Studies, such as the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) from 2023, reveal that people over 65 with moderate to severe hearing loss are 61% more likely to develop dementia compared to those with normal hearing.
The connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline lies in how degraded speech is perceived. While the speech itself may be clear to someone with normal hearing, individuals with hearing loss often struggle to understand it due to background noise or electronic interference. This degradation forces listeners to expend extra mental energy trying to decipher words, which can strain cognitive resources needed for comprehension and response. For example, in noisy environments like a busy restaurant, even those with normal hearing must concentrate to avoid mishearing, but the effort required is significantly higher for those with hearing impairments.
Research by Connor Wild of The Brain & Mind Institute at Western University used PET scans to measure brain activity when processing unclear speech. Results showed increased attention and brain activation in regions associated with thinking and analyzing, indicating that individuals with hearing loss must recruit additional cognitive resources to understand degraded speech. Over time, this constant mental strain can impair cognitive functions and increase the risk of dementia. Conversations in noisy
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Originally published on Psychology Today on 2/24/2026