Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Division of Human Communication, Development and Hearing, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2018 Jul;66(6):1130-1136. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15363. Epub 2018 Apr 10.
To test whether hearing aid use alters cognitive trajectories in older adults.
US population-based longitudinal cohort study SETTING: Data were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), which measured cognitive performance repeatedly every 2 years over 18 years (1996-2014).
Adults aged 50 and older who who took part in a minimum of 3 waves of the HRS and used hearing aids for the first time between Waves 4 and 11 (N=2,040).
Cognitive outcomes were based on episodic memory scores determined according to the sum of immediate and delayed recall of 10 words.
Hearing aid use was positively associated with episodic memory scores (β=1.53, p<.001). Decline in episodic memory scores was slower after (β=-0.02, p<.001) than before using hearing aids (β=-0.1, p<.001). These results were robust to adjustment for multiple confounders and to attrition, as accounted for using a joint model.
Hearing aids may have a mitigating effect on trajectories of cognitive decline in later life. Providing hearing aids or other rehabilitative services for hearing impairment much earlier in the course of hearing impairment may stem the worldwide rise of dementia.
测试使用助听器是否会改变老年人的认知轨迹。
美国基于人群的纵向队列研究
数据来自健康与退休研究（HRS），该研究在 18 年内每 2 年重复测量一次认知表现（1996-2014 年）。
年龄在 50 岁及以上、至少参加了 3 轮 HRS 调查且在第 4 轮至第 11 轮期间首次使用助听器的成年人（N=2040）。
认知结果基于根据 10 个单词的即时和延迟回忆总和确定的情节记忆评分。
助听器的使用与情节记忆评分呈正相关（β=1.53，p<.001）。使用助听器后（β=-0.02，p<.001），情节记忆评分的下降速度比使用助听器前（β=-0.1，p<.001）更慢。这些结果在调整了多个混杂因素和失访后仍然稳健，这是通过联合模型来解释的。
助听器可能对晚年认知衰退轨迹具有缓解作用。在听力障碍的早期阶段为听力障碍提供助听器或其他康复服务，可能会阻止全球痴呆症的上升。
