Hearing loss could lead to the loss of IQ
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013 10:33 AM

In the U.S., approximately 17 percent of adults claim to have some degree of hearing loss, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. If individuals fall into this group, they may want to take an IQ test, as hearing loss could be linked to a decline in cognitive function.

Hearing experts from Johns Hopkins University arrived at this conclusion in a recent study, which will appear online in the "JAMA Internal Medicine." The researchers analyzed six years worth of cognition test results from older adults who also suffered from hearing loss. They found that these individuals'' cognitive abilities had declined around 30 to 40 percent faster than those whose hearing remained intact.

"Our results show that hearing loss should not be considered an inconsequential part of aging, because it may come with some serious long-term consequences to healthy brain functioning," said Frank Lin, the senior study investigator.

Based on their findings, the researchers believe it is important for physicians to help their patients address any hearing declines they have experienced. Not being able to hear could lead to more long-term problems than they realize.