Lee Yun Ji, Lee Eun-Jae, Suh Chong Hyun, Youn Hye Jung, Chae Jihye, Park Keunwoo, Kweon Jihoon, Ahn Joong Ho
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Front Neurol. 2025 Jul 23;16:1602383. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1602383. eCollection 2025.
This study investigated the effects of hearing loss on brain volume, particularly total gray matter, the cerebellum, and the limbic system, using MRI data analyzed with FreeSurfer software.
Data was obtained from 745 individuals aged 60 or older who underwent health screenings at Asan Medical Center between March and December 2019. Participants were categorized into three groups based on their pure-tone hearing thresholds: normal hearing (<20 dB, = 328), mild hearing loss (20-40 dB, = 336), and moderate-to-severe hearing loss (≥40 dB, = 81).
Results showed significant differences among the groups in age, sex, and health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cholesterol levels ( < 0.05). Increased hearing loss severity correlated with older age, male predominance, and higher prevalence of these conditions. Multiple regression analysis, controlling for confounders like age and comorbidities, revealed age-related brain atrophy across all groups. Notably, even mild hearing loss was associated with reduced total gray matter volume, while moderate-to-severe hearing loss led to significant hippocampal volume reduction.
The findings suggest that hearing loss in individuals over the age of 60 may contribute to the atrophy of critical brain regions, particularly the hippocampus and total gray matter. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing even mild hearing loss, as active hearing rehabilitation could potentially prevent cortical volume loss and mitigate the risk of cognitive decline.
本研究利用通过FreeSurfer软件分析的MRI数据，调查听力损失对脑容量的影响，特别是对总灰质、小脑和边缘系统的影响。
数据来自2019年3月至12月在峨山医学中心接受健康筛查的745名60岁及以上的个体。参与者根据其纯音听力阈值分为三组：正常听力（<20 dB，n = 328）、轻度听力损失（20 - 40 dB，n = 336）和中度至重度听力损失（≥40 dB，n = 81）。
结果显示，各组在年龄、性别以及高血压、糖尿病和胆固醇水平等健康状况方面存在显著差异（P < 0.05）。听力损失严重程度增加与年龄较大、男性占主导以及这些疾病的较高患病率相关。在控制年龄和合并症等混杂因素的多元回归分析中，发现所有组均存在与年龄相关的脑萎缩。值得注意的是，即使是轻度听力损失也与总灰质体积减少有关，而中度至重度听力损失则导致海马体体积显著减少。
研究结果表明，60岁以上个体的听力损失可能导致关键脑区萎缩，特别是海马体和总灰质。该研究强调了即使是轻度听力损失也需加以解决的重要性，因为积极的听力康复可能潜在地预防皮质体积损失并降低认知衰退风险。
