Overview

• Dr Amir Khan highlighted that mid-life hearing loss is now seen as the single biggest modifiable factor in dementia risk, with untreated impairment linked to up to five times higher odds of diagnosis.
• He explained that the extra effort required to decode sounds increases the brain’s cognitive load, pulling resources away from memory and thinking.
• He cited MRI studies showing that chronic auditory deprivation accelerates brain atrophy, particularly in regions governing memory and language.
• He warned that hearing difficulties often lead to social withdrawal and loneliness, conditions known to further drive cognitive decline.
• Projections indicate UK dementia cases could reach 1.4 million by 2040, prompting NHS and Alzheimer’s Society guidance to prioritize mid-life hearing assessments.