Hearing Loss Accelerates in Later Old Age

This study included 647 patients 80 to 106 years of age who had audiometric evaluations at an academic medical center (141 had multiple audiograms). The degree of hearing loss was compared across the following age brackets: 80 to 84 years, 85 to 89 years, 90 to 94 years, and 95 years and older. From an individual perspective, the rate of hearing decrease between 2 audiograms was compared with age. The researchers found that changes in hearing among age brackets were higher during the 10th decade of life than the 9th decade at all frequencies for all the patients (average age, 90 years). Correspondingly, the annual rate of low-frequency hearing loss was faster during the 10th decade. Despite the universal presence of hearing loss in this sample, 382 patients (59 percent) used hearing aids. "More attention should be on counseling patients on accepting hearing aids in a longitudinal primary care setting, especially in the population living to 80 years or older." The scientists here urge greater use of existing compensatory mechanisms, but should also be urging greater funding for work on regenerative medicine for the causes of age-related deafness. There are a number of promising lines of research focused on neurodegeneration in the connections between ear and brain on the one hand and regrowth of hair cells in the ear on the other, for example. Link: http://media.jamanetwork.com/news-item/rate-of-hearing-loss-increases-significantly-after-age-90-hearing-aids-und...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs