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Hearing loss is an important, potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia in older adults. Observational studies have associated use of hearing aids with lower risk for cognitive decline and dementia, but no randomized trials have been published.
Researchers at four U.S. sites randomized nearly 1000 adults (age range, 70–84) with mild-to-moderate, adult-onset, bilateral hearing loss and no substantial cognitive impairment to receive audiologist-fitted bilateral hearing aids or an evidence-based educational intervention about chronic disease and disability prevention. After 3 years, in the entire randomized population, global cognitive change was not different between the hearing aid group and the education group. However, in a prespecifi…