Impact of Hearing Loss on Memory Loss in Patients With Self-Reported Olfactory Dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Established links exist between hearing loss and dementia, and olfactory dysfunction (OD) and dementia.
• Neurodegenerative diseases often impact the olfactory system early.
• The independent effect of hearing loss on memory in patients with OD is not well understood, particularly after the rise in anosmia post-COVID-19.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the independent effect of hearing loss on memory in adult patients with self-reported olfactory dysfunction.
• To identify risk factors associated with memory loss in this specific patient population.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 591 adult patient records with self-reported olfactory dysfunction (2015-2020).
• Exclusion of patients with a history of traumatic brain injury.
• Stratification by demographics and clinical factors, followed by univariate and logistic regression analyses.

Main Results:

• Hearing impairment was significantly associated with memory loss (p<0.001) in patients with olfactory dysfunction.
• Other significant covariates included stroke (p=0.004), coronary artery disease (CAD) (p=0.022), and hypertension (HTN) (p<0.001).
• Factors like smoking history, myocardial infarction, and diabetes mellitus were not significant.

Conclusions:

• Hearing impairment is a significant predictor of memory loss in individuals with self-reported olfactory dysfunction.
• This highlights an increased risk of memory loss in this population.
• Further research is needed for screening and understanding the pathophysiology of memory loss in hard-of-hearing patients with olfactory dysfunction, especially post-COVID-19.