Hearing loss

2 papers4 findings

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

On aging: the drug’s trials ARN judged to be about aging, of every trial that tests it for any use.

No results posted: trials that ended more than a year ago with no results on ClinicalTrials.gov and no paper in ARN’s record.

Company ties: findings with an author at a company, or from a paper whose competing-interests statement declares ties to one.

2 independent labs in 2 countries

Funders: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and 4 more

Humans2

Outcomes

Executive function

downin humans1

1 study

Hearing loss impairs executive function in humans (32% greater annual rate of decline, -0.83 vs -0.63 points/year (P = .02)).
“Digit Symbol Substitution test scores that were 41% and 32% greater, respectively, than those among individuals with normal hearing.”
Humanspure-tone average >25 dB6 yearsn = 1,162
Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults
JAMA internal medicine25 Feb 2013

Global cognitive function

downin humans1

1 study

Hearing loss impairs global cognitive function in humans (41% greater annual rate of decline, -0.65 vs -0.46 points/year (P = .004)).
“had annual rates of decline in 3MS and Digit Symbol Substitution test scores that were 41% and 32% greater, respectively, than those among individuals with normal hearing.”
Humanspure-tone average >25 dB6 yearsn = 1,162
Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults
JAMA internal medicine25 Feb 2013

Associations

Cognitive decline

upin humans1OR 1.98

1 study

Hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline in humans (OR: 1.98; 95%CI: 1.13-3.45).
“Participants with just hearing loss (OR: 1.98; 95%CI: 1.13-3.45) also had higher odds of the outcome”
Humansolder adultsn = 1,335
Dual sensory loss and cognitive decline: evidence from the EpiFloripa Aging study
Ciencia & saude coletiva24 May 2025

Incident cognitive impairment

upin humans1HR 1.24

1 study

Hearing loss raises the risk of incident cognitive impairment in humans (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.05-1.48).
“individuals with hearing loss at baseline had a 24% (hazard ratio, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.05-1.48) increased risk for incident cognitive impairment.”
Humans6 yearsn = 1,984
Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults
JAMA internal medicine25 Feb 2013