Hearing Aid Use Associated with 23% Lower Dementia Risk in Adults with Epilepsy and Hearing Loss
Key Insights
Adults with both epilepsy (search) and hearing loss (search) who use hearing aids (search) had a 23% lower risk of developing dementia (search) compared to non-users, according to research presented at EAN Congress 2026.
The absolute risk reduction was 2.7 percentage points over five years, equating to one fewer dementia (search) case for every 37 people using hearing aids (search).
No significant association was found between hearing aid use and dementia (search) risk in the overall hearing-loss population or among people with stroke, migraine, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, or osteoarthritis.
Adults living with both epilepsy (search) and hearing loss (search) who use hearing aids (search) may experience a 23% lower risk of developing dementia (search) compared to those who do not use the devices, according to new research presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026. The finding emerged from an analysis of electronic health records spanning more than 250 million patients, yet the protective association was strikingly specific to the epilepsy population—no significant benefit was observed across multiple other high-risk groups examined.
The study, conducted by researchers from University Hospital Zurich (search) and the University of Liverpool, leveraged the TriNetX research network to compare closely matched adults with hearing loss (search) who used hearing aids (search) against those who did not. The analysis encompassed the overall hearing-loss population as well as subgroups of people living with epilepsy (search), stroke, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, migraine, and osteoarthritis.
A finding specific to epilepsy (search)
Among adults with both epilepsy (search) and hearing loss (search), hearing aid use was associated with a 23% lower risk of dementia (search). This corresponded to an absolute risk reduction of 2.7 percentage points over five years—equivalent to one fewer case of dementia for every 37 people using hearing aids (search). The association remained directionally consistent across all analyses performed by the research team.
"What surprised us most was how specific the finding was to epilepsy (search)," said lead author Dr. Carolina Ferreira-Atuesta. "We expected to see a small benefit across several of the higher-risk groups we studied. Instead, most showed no significant association, while the association in epilepsy was observed consistently across all of our analyses. That consistency gives us greater confidence that this is a meaningful finding."
No significant association was found between hearing aid use and dementia (search) risk in the overall population with hearing loss (search), nor among people with stroke, migraine, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, or osteoarthritis.
Cognitive reserve as a potential mechanism
The researchers hypothesize that differences in cognitive reserve—the brain's ability to continue functioning effectively despite age-related changes or disease-related damage—may explain the epilepsy (search)-specific finding.
"Most people with hearing loss (search) have enough cognitive reserve to absorb the extra effort caused by hearing impairment, so correcting it may not have a large effect on dementia (search) risk," Dr. Ferreira-Atuesta explained. "Epilepsy (search) is different because cognitive reserve is often already reduced, meaning that removing one additional source of strain may have a greater impact."
Several biologically plausible reasons support the observed effect in epilepsy (search). The condition is associated with accelerated cognitive decline, temporal lobe epilepsy affects areas of the brain involved in hearing, and some anti-seizure medications may worsen hearing, Dr. Ferreira-Atuesta noted.
Clinical implications and screening
The findings carry important implications for clinical practice. Since people with epilepsy (search) are already in regular contact with healthcare services, hearing assessments could be readily incorporated into routine care.
"Hearing loss (search) is one of the few dementia (search) risk factors we can actually do something about. It's easy to detect, and hearing aids (search) are established, reversible and low-risk," Dr. Ferreira-Atuesta said. "This is a real call for increased awareness and screening. We have a vulnerable population, a problem that's straightforward to identify and a correction that's simple to deliver."
For people living with epilepsy (search) and hearing loss (search), the researchers emphasize that the benefits of addressing hearing loss extend beyond any potential effect on dementia (search) risk. "If you have hearing loss, treat it," Dr. Ferreira-Atuesta urged. "The benefits for communication, mood and staying connected are real and well established, so there's every reason to act now."
Study limitations
The researchers caution that the study was observational and cannot yet prove that hearing aids (search) directly reduce dementia (search) risk. However, the findings are encouraging and biologically plausible. Further prospective studies are needed to determine whether hearing aids can help protect long-term brain health in people with epilepsy (search) and hearing loss (search).