Alberti Giuseppe, Portelli Daniele, Polito Francesca, Graceffa Anita, Licitri Laura, Loteta Sabrina, Torre Margherita Maria, Gasparo Irene, Rizzo Vincenzo, Aguennouz M'hammed, Macaione Vincenzo
Department of Adult and Development Age Human Pathology, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy.
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy.
J Clin Med. 2025 Jan 21;14(3):672. doi: 10.3390/jcm14030672.
: Mild cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized as a precursor to more severe neurodegenerative conditions, particularly in the context of aging. Recent studies have highlighted the intersection of hearing loss and cognitive decline, suggesting that auditory deficits may exacerbate cognitive impairments in older adults, proposing the use of hearing aids to mitigate cognitive decline, and indicating that early intervention in hearing loss could be crucial for preserving cognitive function. The underlying mechanisms of the relationship between hearing and cognitive impairment may involve neuroinflammatory processes and neurodegeneration. Recent studies have evidenced the role of tau proteins and neurofilaments as biomarkers in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. : We selected 30 subjects with age-related hearing loss, and we evaluated their cognitive status through the administration of screening tests, which also measured neurofilament light chain and phospho-tau 181 serum levels as biomarkers of neurodegeneration. The subjects were re-evaluated six months after the hearing aid fitting. : Patients with hearing impairment presented slightly altered results on cognitive tests, typical of a mild cognitive impairment. At the same time, serum levels of neurofilament light chain and phospho-tau 181 were significantly increased compared to the matched control group. After the hearing aids fitting, auditory, cognitive, and serum values results improved. : The results of the study highlight the cognitive involvement in patients with hearing impairment and identify neurofilament light chain and phospho-tau 181 as serum biomarkers of neurodegeneration useful in monitoring the pathology.
轻度认知障碍越来越被认为是更严重神经退行性疾病的先兆，尤其是在老龄化背景下。最近的研究强调了听力损失与认知衰退的交叉点，表明听觉缺陷可能会加剧老年人的认知障碍，建议使用助听器来减轻认知衰退，并指出早期干预听力损失对于保护认知功能可能至关重要。听力与认知障碍之间关系的潜在机制可能涉及神经炎症过程和神经退行性变。最近的研究证明了tau蛋白和神经丝作为神经退行性疾病发病和进展的生物标志物的作用。：我们选择了30名患有年龄相关性听力损失的受试者，并通过进行筛查测试来评估他们的认知状态，这些测试还测量了神经丝轻链和磷酸化tau 181血清水平作为神经退行性变的生物标志物。在佩戴助听器六个月后对受试者进行了重新评估。：听力受损患者在认知测试中呈现出略有改变的结果，这是轻度认知障碍的典型表现。与此同时，与匹配的对照组相比，神经丝轻链和磷酸化tau 181的血清水平显著升高。佩戴助听器后，听觉、认知和血清值结果有所改善。：该研究结果突出了听力受损患者的认知参与情况，并确定神经丝轻链和磷酸化tau 181作为神经退行性变的血清生物标志物，有助于监测病情。
