Current epidemiological and clinical evidence strongly supports that hearing loss is one of the largest risk factors for developing cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer´s disease. Studies suggest that the link may even be causative. This notion represents a big conceptual departure from the traditional perception that hearing loss is an inevitable, and largely assumable, consequence of aging. The conclusion is that the bulk of evidence puts the focus, more than ever, on the need to understand the associations between age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, and its contributing factors such as genetic load, lifetime noise exposure or ototoxic drugs, with the aim of developing therapies to limit its impact. This is not only because of the limitations that presbycusis poses itself on life quality, but also because it may be central to controlling the devastating consequences of the epidemics of dementia, and above all Alzheimer´s disease, in the growing aging population. This is a very relevant, so far unmet, health and societal challenge which requires innovative basic and translational knowledge. The aim of this Research Topic is to offer a platform to facilitate cross-talk and promote convergence among different fields in the interphase between research in hearing and neurodegeneration and clinical findings. Welcomed contributions will include, but are not restricted to, basic, translational or clinical research on auditory aging; acoustic trauma, aging and cognitive decline; animal models of auditory neuropathies and Alzheimer´s disease or dementia; genetic risk; neurobiological links between hearing, memory and dementia/Alzheimer´s disease. Papers reporting original research will be a priority, although high quality, comprehensive reviews putting forward testable hypothesis will also be taken into consideration.
Current epidemiological and clinical evidence strongly supports that hearing loss is one of the largest risk factors for developing cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer´s disease. Studies suggest that the link may even be causative. This notion represents a big conceptual departure from the traditional perception that hearing loss is an inevitable, and largely assumable, consequence of aging. The conclusion is that the bulk of evidence puts the focus, more than ever, on the need to understand the associations between age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, and its contributing factors such as genetic load, lifetime noise exposure or ototoxic drugs, with the aim of developing therapies to limit its impact. This is not only because of the limitations that presbycusis poses itself on life quality, but also because it may be central to controlling the devastating consequences of the epidemics of dementia, and above all Alzheimer´s disease, in the growing aging population. This is a very relevant, so far unmet, health and societal challenge which requires innovative basic and translational knowledge. The aim of this Research Topic is to offer a platform to facilitate cross-talk and promote convergence among different fields in the interphase between research in hearing and neurodegeneration and clinical findings. Welcomed contributions will include, but are not restricted to, basic, translational or clinical research on auditory aging; acoustic trauma, aging and cognitive decline; animal models of auditory neuropathies and Alzheimer´s disease or dementia; genetic risk; neurobiological links between hearing, memory and dementia/Alzheimer´s disease. Papers reporting original research will be a priority, although high quality, comprehensive reviews putting forward testable hypothesis will also be taken into consideration.