Alzheimer's researchers are working to understand the links between dementia and hearing loss in a project run by the University of Manchester and supported by Alzheimer's Research UK and the Royal National Institute for Deaf People. It has been estimated that if mid-life hearing loss can be eliminated then it would lead to a 9% reduction in dementia cases. Alzheimer's Research UK said: "The team will determine if dementia is directly caused by hearing loss, if dementia is an indirect consequence of social isolation caused by hearing problems, or if there are other biological factors that increase the risk of both hearing loss and dementia.
This global project, headed by Dr Piers Dawes at the University of Manchester, will use information from thousands of volunteers from the US, UK and a number of European countries. Each volunteer has provided data for up to 17 years. These data sets are packed with details about participants' hearing, their use of hearing aids, scores from memory and thinking tests, brain scan images, levels of physical and mental activity, and health information. This valuable resource allows the team to explore the connection between hearing loss and the risk of dementia.
The aim is to develop a much deeper understanding of how hearing loss and dementia are linked. Dr Dawes' team want to determine if dementia is directly caused by hearing loss, if dementia is an indirect consequence of social isolation caused by hearing problems, or if there are other biological factors that increase the risk of both hearing loss and dementia.
ATR COMMENT:
Why isn't the research covering the born deaf? The last attempt in 2022, seems a bit random of that area, a video and some photos, and an inability to utilise carers experiences of BSL Alzheimer patients for real-time data. Researching only 17 years appears to ignore how Alzheimer's affects those born with little hearing. Are they already suggesting acquired loss is the trigger and not the genetic or inherent loss? Poor hearing aid responses? Most of those ATR knows suffering Alzheimer were from the deaf school areas and born with little hearting at all, wore no viable hearing aids as such..
Another issue is how testing for potential Alzheimer's is done, currently, it is based on a hearing experience. An experience that cannot be applied to those without it. I just wonder how many HEARING can recite the 93 times table? Or Name the minister for education in the UK? Awareness is a huge issue too, given the deaf and their awareness relates only to the deaf experiences, not the hearing ones. if they consult dedicated charity data sets, they won't get unbiased information that way. Academic attainment can vary hugely between those who are born deaf, and those who acquire it, which is also relative as to WHEN hearing loss starts to manifest itself.
To be accurate, researchers need the 'before and after' data, is 17 years relative to that? When researchers are only asking NOW? Data needs to cover social and societal backgrounds too, and today bears little relation to 17 years ago either. Also huge advances in hearing aid, and cochlear implants has improved hugely in that time too. Research must be mindful it doesn't 'arm' areas of the 'Deaf' community activisms, with an excuse to express even more 'concern' about deafness itself being addressed properly, given activism has attacked Hearing aid, cochlear implantations, and the use of speech, among other means medical and educational areas have supported or gone with, even genetic manipulation.
Ditching the politics of deafness and language is obviously why, the research is NOT researching in more depth the born deaf cultural membership? To show balance it must surely? Or it plays into the Deaf versus deaf thing.
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