Eye-Movement Deficits in Seniors with Hearing Aids: Cognitive and Multisensory Implications

In recent years, there has been a growing body of literature highlighting the relationship between presbycusis and consequences in areas other than hearing. In particular, presbycusis is linked to depression, dementia, and cognitive decline. Among this literature, the effect of hearing aids, currently the most common method of treating presbycusis, is also a growing research topic. This pilot study aims to explore the effects of hearing aids on the cognitive and multisensory consequences of presbycusis. To that purpose, saccades and vergences eye movements were studied, towards visual and audiovisual targets, of a presbycusis population wearing hearing aids for an average of two years. These measurements were done whether or not participants were wearing their hearing aids. Eye-movement characteristics, particularly latencies (the reaction time taken to initiate an eye movement), allows one to measure attentional and multisensory characteristics. Previous studies showed that presbycusis was linked with an increase of saccade latencies and an improvement in audiovisual interaction capacities, i.e., latencies for audiovisual targets are shorter than those for visual targets. Eye movements are measured and analyzed with REMOBI and AIDEAL technologies. Results show a shortening, with hearing aids, of right saccade latencies to visual targets, suggesting an increase in attention and/or engagement. Yet, saccade latencies are not shorter for audiovisual vs. visual targets alone, neither when wearing hearing aids, nor without. Moreover, convergence latencies are particularly slow for any type of target and with or without hearing aids. The results suggest deficits for audiovisual interactions and the initiation of convergences in that population. These deficits could be part of the factors triggering the need to wear hearing aids. These results therefore show interesting relationships between hearing-aid wearing in a presbycusis population and oculomotricity and invite further research in this area.