title: Hearing Aid Use is Associated with Better Mini-Mental State Exam Performance.
abstract: Hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline in the elderly. However, it is unknown if the use of hearing aids (HAs) is associated with enhanced cognitive function.
  
  
  
  In a cross-sectional study at an academic medical center, participants underwent audiometric evaluation, the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), and the Trail Making Test, Part B (TMT-B). The impact of use versus disuse of HAs was assessed. Performance on cognitive tests was then compared with unaided hearing levels.
  
  
  
  HA users performed better on the MMSE (1.9 points; rank-sum, p = 0.008) despite having worse hearing at both high frequencies (15.3-dB hearing level; t test, p < 0.001) and low frequencies (15.7-dB hearing level; t test p < 0.001). HA use had no effect TMT-B performance. Better performance on the MMSE was correlated with both low frequency (ρ = -0.28, p = 0.021) and high frequency (ρ = -0.21, p = 0.038) hearing level, but there was no correlation between performance on the TMT-B and hearing at any frequency.
  
  
  
  Despite having poorer hearing, HA users performed better on the MMSE. Better performance on cognitive tests with auditory stimuli (MMSE) but not visual stimuli (TMT-B) suggests that hearing loss is associated with sensory-specific cognitive decline rather than global cognitive impairment. Because hearing loss is nearly universal in those older than 80 years, HAs should be strongly recommended to minimize cognitive impairment in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons , New York, NY.
authors.forename: Zhen Jason
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Kapil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wattamwar
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Francesco F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Caruana
authors.affiliation: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons , New York, NY.
authors.forename: Jenna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Otter
authors.affiliation: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons , New York, NY.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Leskowitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Siedlecki
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Jaclyn B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Spitzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY. Electronic address: Anil.Lalwani@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Anil K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lalwani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000073216:Mental Status and Dementia Tests; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States
keywords: Hearing loss; Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); Part B (TMT-B); Trail Making Test; cognitive function; hearing aids