GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — Adults with both epilepsy and hearing loss who use hearing aids may have a 23% lower risk of developing dementia than those who do not, according to new research presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026. Hearing loss is widely recognized as the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia....
Congress-abstract-level observational data in a specific high-risk subgroup (epilepsy + hearing loss); findings are hypothesis-generating and consistent with the broader hearing-aid/dementia literature, but not yet sufficient to change practice beyond standard counseling about potential cognitive benefits of amplification.
Extends the hearing-aid-dementia association to the epilepsy population, a group at already elevated dementia risk, potentially strengthening the case for early hearing intervention in neurological co-morbidities.
- 01Hearing aid use was associated with a 23% lower dementia risk in adults with epilepsy and hearing loss.
- 02Data were presented at the 2026 European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress, not yet peer-reviewed in full.
- 03The study design appears observational; causality cannot be confirmed.
- 04People with epilepsy already carry elevated dementia risk, making hearing interventions especially relevant.
- 05Findings align with existing literature linking hearing aid use to reduced dementia risk in the general population.
Hearing aid use is associated with a 23% lower dementia risk in adults with both epilepsy and hearing loss.
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