Is there a relationship between hearing loss and language impairment in patients with dementia? A systematic review

IF 3.5 3区医学 Q2 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics Pub Date : 2025-07-07 DOI:10.1016/j.archger.2025.105948

L. Lodeiro-Fernández , A. Maseda, L. Lorenzo-López, N. Cibeira, J.C. Millán-Calenti, J. Leira, S. Martínez-Ferreiro

{"title":"Is there a relationship between hearing loss and language impairment in patients with dementia? A systematic review","authors":"L. Lodeiro-Fernández , A. Maseda, L. Lorenzo-López, N. Cibeira, J.C. Millán-Calenti, J. Leira, S. Martínez-Ferreiro","doi":"10.1016/j.archger.2025.105948","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Hearing loss (HL) and language impairment occur in the context of various types of cognitive impairment. There is extensive scientific literature on the relationship between HL and cognitive impairment or the risk of dementia, but its impact on language impairment is not well understood. This systematic review investigates the potential relationship between HL and language impairment in dementia patients.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>We conducted literature searches in the Scopus, Web of Science, and Medline databases from inception to May 2024 in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Data extraction and methodological quality assessment, including risk of bias, were carried out.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The search returned 767 articles for evaluation, which resulted in 14 that met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the results included 3676 older individuals, of whom 677 had dementia. Significant associations were observed between HL and language impairment, with a stronger association observed in comprehension than in production, although there was no evidence of causality.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Addressing hearing loss may play a role in managing language deficits in patients with dementia. Central auditory processing (CAP) and cognitive load are as critical as, if not more vital than, peripheral HL in language impairment in dementia patients. The quantification and directionality of the possible effects of language and hearing impairment on the genesis of dementia require longitudinal studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8306,"journal":{"name":"Archives of gerontology and geriatrics","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 105948"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Archives of gerontology and geriatrics","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167494325002055","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Hearing loss (HL) and language impairment occur in the context of various types of cognitive impairment. There is extensive scientific literature on the relationship between HL and cognitive impairment or the risk of dementia, but its impact on language impairment is not well understood. This systematic review investigates the potential relationship between HL and language impairment in dementia patients.

Method

We conducted literature searches in the Scopus, Web of Science, and Medline databases from inception to May 2024 in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Data extraction and methodological quality assessment, including risk of bias, were carried out.

Results

The search returned 767 articles for evaluation, which resulted in 14 that met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the results included 3676 older individuals, of whom 677 had dementia. Significant associations were observed between HL and language impairment, with a stronger association observed in comprehension than in production, although there was no evidence of causality.

Conclusion

Addressing hearing loss may play a role in managing language deficits in patients with dementia. Central auditory processing (CAP) and cognitive load are as critical as, if not more vital than, peripheral HL in language impairment in dementia patients. The quantification and directionality of the possible effects of language and hearing impairment on the genesis of dementia require longitudinal studies.

查看原文本刊更多论文

痴呆患者的听力损失和语言障碍之间是否存在关系？系统回顾

听力损失和语言障碍发生在各种类型的认知障碍的背景下。关于HL与认知障碍或痴呆风险之间的关系已有大量科学文献，但其对语言障碍的影响尚不清楚。本系统综述探讨了HL与痴呆患者语言障碍之间的潜在关系。方法按照PRISMA指南，检索Scopus、Web of Science和Medline数据库自成立至2024年5月的文献。进行了数据提取和方法学质量评估，包括偏倚风险。结果共检索到767篇文献，其中14篇符合纳入标准。总体而言，研究结果包括3676名老年人，其中677人患有痴呆症。在HL和语言障碍之间观察到显著的关联，在理解方面比在生产方面观察到更强的关联，尽管没有因果关系的证据。结论解决听力损失可能对痴呆患者的语言障碍有一定的治疗作用。在痴呆症患者的语言障碍中，中枢听觉加工（CAP）和认知负荷与周围HL一样重要，如果不是更重要的话。语言和听力障碍对痴呆发生的可能影响的量化和方向性需要纵向研究。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Archives of gerontology and geriatrics 医学-老年医学

CiteScore

7.30

自引率

5.00%

发文量

198

审稿时长

16 days

期刊介绍： Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics provides a medium for the publication of papers from the fields of experimental gerontology and clinical and social geriatrics. The principal aim of the journal is to facilitate the exchange of information between specialists in these three fields of gerontological research. Experimental papers dealing with the basic mechanisms of aging at molecular, cellular, tissue or organ levels will be published. Clinical papers will be accepted if they provide sufficiently new information or are of fundamental importance for the knowledge of human aging. Purely descriptive clinical papers will be accepted only if the results permit further interpretation. Papers dealing with anti-aging pharmacological preparations in humans are welcome. Papers on the social aspects of geriatrics will be accepted if they are of general interest regarding the epidemiology of aging and the efficiency and working methods of the social organizations for the health care of the elderly.