RESEARCH INSIGHTS

What we know about age-related hearing loss

It begins in mid-life and it affects 1 in 3 older adults who are over 65 years old.
It is the most prevalent chronic sensory deficit experienced by older adults.
It begins with high-frequency hearing loss and gradually affects mid and low frequencies

Age-related hearing loss is linked to

Slower walking speed
Poorer multi-tasking (listening-while-walking)
A 3 times greater risk of falling
Cognitive decline (mild cognitive impairment, dementia)

In a recent study, we asked

“How does hearing loss impact multi-tasking (talking-while-walking) before and after exercise, alone or in combination with brain training, in older adults with mild cognitive impairment?”

How we addressed the gaps

We examined measures of walking and talking before and after 20 weeks of training (see table for details of training groups).

Participants

A sample of 75 older adults (from 60 to 89 years old) with diagnosed Mild Cognitive Impairment were classified as having normal, mild, or moderate hearing loss

Training protocol

20 weeks of multi-modal intervention for 1 hour, 3 times a week
Multimodal intervention types

Combined training

Aerobic exercise and resistance training
Cognitive training (divided attention)

Exercise-only training

Aerobic exercise and resistance training
Cognitive control (video watching, internet searches)

Control

Exercise control (balance and toning)
Cognitive control

Measurements taken before and after training

Task 1 (Motor): Walking
Task 2 (Cognitive): Naming animals and subtractions
Task 3 (Multi-Tasking): Task 1 and Task 2 completed simultaneously

What we found

Walking performance prior to training appeared to be worse (i.e., step length and speed varied more) in older adults with hearing loss compared to older adults with normal hearing.

Walking performance while talking improved more in older adults with hearing loss compared to older adults with normal hearing following any form of training (i.e., walking became faster and more stable).

Take action

Our research findings support the following recommendations to prioritize your hearing, mobility and brain health.

Prioritize your hearing health

Be proactive and get your hearing tested regularly and early.
Establishing a baseline measure is important for tracking your hearing health over time.
Avoid or protect against long exposure to loud sounds like listening to music on headphones and noisy environments.

Stay cognitively and physically active

Engage in physical and cognitive activities to improve walking speed, stability and mental acuity.

Moderate intensity exercises lasting 45-60 mins per session benefit cognition (Northey et al., 2017).

Resistance training (e.g. lifting weights) 2x a week improves attention and memory (Liu-Ambrose & Nagamatsu, 2013).

Li Lab: Laboratory for Adult Development & Cognitive Aging