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REVIEW article

Front. Dement.

Sec. Aging and Risk Factors for Dementia

This article is part of the Research TopicInsights in Dementia: Volume 1View all 13 articles

Dementia and Hearing Loss: From Risk to Mechanisms and Management

Provisionally accepted
Emma E BroomeEmma E Broome1Sian CalvertSian Calvert1Eithne HeffernanEithne Heffernan2Helen HenshawHelen Henshaw1Aaliyaah KhanAaliyaah Khan3Vassilis PelekanosVassilis Pelekanos4Joseph SolliniJoseph Sollini4Jack Stancel LewisJack Stancel Lewis5Tom DeningTom Dening4*
  • 1National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
  • 2School of Sports, Exercise and Health Sciences,, Loughborough, United Kingdom
  • 3School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
  • 4Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
  • 5Nottingham University Business School, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom

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Hearing loss in midlife is an important and potentially modifiable risk factor for the development of dementia. Research examining the association between dementia and hearing loss has expanded rapidly; however, evidence for the mechanisms linking the two conditions is inconclusive, limiting the development of targeted interventions. This review provides a critical overview of current evidence on dementia risk in relation to hearing loss, proposed mechanisms underpinning this association, and emerging evidence on the effectiveness of hearing interventions in modifying trajectories of cognitive decline, dementia risk, and disease progression. Alongside its role as a risk factor, hearing loss commonly co-occurs with dementia, highlighting the need for integrated approaches to care that address the considerable impact of these co-morbid conditions on individuals and communities. Finally, we emphasise the importance of including diverse populations in future research to improve generalisability of findings and help advance equity in dementia prevention and care.

Keywords: cognitive impairment, Dementia, Hearing Loss, mechanisms, Presbycusis

Received: 30 Oct 2025; Accepted: 27 Jan 2026.

Copyright: © 2026 Broome, Calvert, Heffernan, Henshaw, Khan, Pelekanos, Sollini, Stancel Lewis and Dening. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Tom Dening

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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