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 research presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026.
Hearing loss is recognised as the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia, but evidence that hearing aids reduce dementia risk has remained inconsistent. Researchers from University Hospital Zurich and the University of Liverpool investigated whether hearing aids may offer greater benefits in people already at increased risk of dementia because of neurological, metabolic or cardiovascular conditions.
The team analysed electronic health records from more than 250 million patients in the TriNetX network. Adults with hearing loss who used hearing aids were compared with closely matched individuals who did not use hearing aids. The analysis included people with epilepsy, stroke, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, migraine and osteoarthritis.
No significant association was found between hearing aid use and dementia risk in the overall population with hearing loss or among people with stroke, migraine, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure or osteoarthritis.
| Sign up to the ACNR email newsletter here |
However, among adults with both epilepsy and hearing loss, hearing aid use was associated with a 23% lower risk of dementia. This equated to an absolute risk reduction of 2.7 percentage points over five years, corresponding to one fewer dementia diagnosis for every 37 people using hearing aids.
Lead author Dr Carolina Ferreira-Atuesta said the finding was unexpected because the researchers had anticipated smaller benefits across several high-risk groups rather than a consistent effect confined to epilepsy. The team believes reduced cognitive reserve in people with epilepsy may make them more vulnerable to the additional cognitive demands imposed by untreated hearing loss.
The researchers suggest hearing assessments could become part of routine epilepsy care, as patients already have regular contact with healthcare services. They also emphasised that treating hearing loss offers well-established benefits for communication, mood and social engagement, regardless of any potential impact on dementia risk.
As the study was observational, it cannot prove that hearing aids directly reduce dementia risk. The researchers say prospective studies are now needed to determine whether hearing intervention can help preserve long-term brain health in people with epilepsy.
References
- Ferreira-Atuesta, C., Schubert, K.M., Jung, H. et al. (2026). Hearing Aid Use and Risk of Dementia in Adults with Hearing Loss and Comorbid Neurological, Metabolic, or Cardiovascular Conditions. Abstract A-26-18825. Presented at the 12th EAN Congress (Geneva, Switzerland).
- NIHR. Biomedical Research Centre. (2025). Certain chronic health conditions associated increased risk of dementia – new study.
https://oxfordhealthbrc.nihr.ac.uk/certain-chronic-health-conditions-associated with-increased-risk-of-dementia-new-study/ - Alzheimer’s Research UK. (2024). Cognitive reserve and dementia risk. https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/dementia-information/dementia
risk/cognitive-reserve-and-dementia-risk/
This news item has been summarised using AI and checked by humans before publication.
Sources
European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026
| Sign up for our online community for neurology specialists |
