Implication of Hearing Loss in Alzheimer's Cognitive Impairment: A Preventive Diagnosis Perspective

Abstract

Introduction: With the increase in life expectancy in the world, pathologies also increase, in which aging is the main risk factor, as well as dementia and hearing loss, which profoundly affect people's quality of life and their families, factors that affect the costs of the health system. Given the lack of disease-modifying treatments for dementia, studying the mechanisms to prevent its onset has become a priority.

Objective: To describe the implication of hearing loss in the cognitive deterioration of Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: A bibliographic review was carried out following PRISMA guidelines of the literature published in databases such as PubMed, SciELO, Elsevier, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar search engine. The existence of updated scientific evidence in the English and Spanish languages was ensured. Sixty seven studies were identified from the search strategy, twenty six articles were excluded, and fifty one studies were chosen, which reported the implication of hearing loss in the cognitive deterioration of Alzheimer's disease.

Information analysis and synthesis: There is an association between hearing impairment and increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, explained by genetic factors and noise pollution that causes cognitive impairment.

Conclusions: The appearance of hearing loss may constitute a risk factor that precedes dementia. The treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease and hearing loss requires a multidisciplinary approach, to early detect certain manifestations which make it possible the appearance and association of these diseases possible.