Central Auditory Processing Dysfunction Linked to Memory Loss

Here's a study that made me a little nervous. Researchers at the University of Washington - Seattle found an association between difficulty hearing in complex situations and memory impairment.

They call the hearing problem central auditory processing dysfunction, and it occurs when a person is faced with competing sounds such as multiple conversations or loud background noise. The researchers asked 313 older adults to complete hearing tests that involved difficult listening situations. They found that those with dementia or mild cognitive impairment had significantly lower auditory processing test scores, on average, than those with no memory impairment.

Why did this study make me nervous? I've always had a terrible problem with competing noise. I carry earplugs in my purse in case there are loud children in the grocery store -- if I can't block out the noise, I have a hard time focusing on the shopping list. I can't have a conversation in the car without turning down the radio volume. When I read about this study, I couldn't help but wonder whether it was about me. Does my inability to block out competing noises put me at a higher risk for memory loss in later life?

It's easy to start thinking like this, but it's important to take a deep breath and think about what the study really means. It does not suggest causality -- only association. The results don't indicate that hearing problems cause Alzheimer's disease, or vice versa. All we know is that among the older people in this study, people who had problems hearing in complex situations were also more likely to have some memory loss. This is clearly a line of research to keep an eye on, but I'm not going to panic until there's some more definitive evidence about hearing problems and dementia.

Related reading:

• Alzheimer's Risk Factors
• Alzheimer's Early Warning Signs

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