In this project, Dr Chris Hardy , University College London, explored how dementia affects hearing and communication, and how changes in "brain hearing" could help improve diagnosis and support for people living with dementia. Dr Chris Hardy's Fellowship was co-funded in partnership with the Vivensa Foundation ....
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Findings are preliminary and exploratory; no immediate change to audiology practice is warranted, but audiologists should be aware of the growing evidence linking central auditory processing (how the brain interprets sound) to dementia diagnosis.
If central auditory processing measures can serve as early markers of dementia, audiologists could play a significantly expanded role in cognitive health screening.
- 01Research by Dr Chris Hardy (UCL), co-funded by RNID, examined the hearing-dementia link.
- 02Focus was on 'brain hearing' — how the brain, not just the ear, processes sound — in people with dementia.
- 03Study explored whether central auditory processing changes could aid dementia diagnosis.
- 04Work may open new avenues for audiologists to contribute to early dementia detection.
- 05Research was co-funded by RNID, indicating charitable investment in this intersection of hearing and cognitive science.
Dementia affects hearing and communication at the brain level, beyond peripheral ear function.
studypartially supportedChanges in 'brain hearing' (central auditory processing) could improve dementia diagnosis.
studyunclear- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 4
- Population
- People with dementia, examined for central auditory processing changes
- Intervention
- Assessment of central auditory processing ('brain hearing') in dementia
Primary outcomes
Characterisation of how dementia affects hearing and communication; Evaluation of whether central auditory processing measures could support dementia diagnosis