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Updated: Jun 8, 2025

Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Impact of hearing impairment on cognitive performance
Pedro Ivo Machado Pires de Araújo1, Pauliana Lamounier E Silva Duarte1, Hugo Valter Lisboa Ramos1
1Programa de Cooperação Institucional CRER - Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Objective:
This study aims to evaluate the cognitive performance in adults with hearing loss and to identify associations between clinical characteristics of hearing loss and cognitive outcomes.
Methods:
In this cross-sectional analytical observational study, adults with hearing loss underwent the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), following the collection of their clinical and audiometric data.
Results:
Among 134 evaluated individuals, a majority reported a progressive onset (91.04%) and bilateral nature (87.31%) of hearing loss, with moderate hearing loss being the most common (41.04%). Sensorineural hearing loss was prevalent in 76.12% of cases, with presbycusis identified as a primary etiology in 37.31%. Comorbidities were reported in 61.19% of participants, with 16.42% using benzodiazepines or antidepressants regularly. Symptoms included imbalance (33.58%), vertigo (42.54%), and tinnitus (73.88%). Notably, a sudden onset of hearing loss and imbalance complaints were linked to a higher likelihood of subnormal MMSE performance. Analysis revealed varied cognitive domain performances associated with different clinical characteristics of hearing loss.
Conclusion:
Various aspects of hearing loss, such as bilateral and sensorineural types, and the presence of symptoms like tinnitus and vertigo, significantly influence cognitive performance. Specifically, sudden onset hearing loss and imbalance complaints are associated with poorer overall cognitive outcomes in the MMSE. These findings underscore the importance of considering the diverse impacts of hearing loss characteristics on cognitive functions.
Level Of Evidence:
Level 4.
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