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Updated: Sep 30, 2026
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Hearing and Cognitive Function in Aged Adults: A Machine Learning and Mediation Analysis of NHANES
Jia Luo1, Jing-Qian Tan1, Li-Ling Li1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University Guangzhou China.
Objective:
Cognitive impairment is a major public health challenge. Early identification is crucial, especially in the often-overlooked 60-69 age group. This study developed an efficient risk identification tool.
Methods:
Using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), three machine learning algorithms screened for key predictive features. Eight models were combined with a nomogram. Mediation, restricted cubic spline, and dose-response analyses explored the hearing-cognition relationship among older adults in the United States.
Results:
Five key features including race, education, alcohol consumption, pure tone audiometry (PTA), and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) were identified. The random forest model performed best (area under the curve, AUC = 0.865). Education, race, and PTA were the top three contributors. A significant positive linear relationship existed between PTA and cognitive risk, with each 1 dB HL increase raising the risk by 2%. The nomogram highlighted the highest risk for those with less than ninth-grade education, Hispanic ethnicity, and high PTA.
Conclusion:
A exploratory risk stratification tool is developed. Education, race, and hearing level are key contributing variable. The linear PTA-cognition relationship suggests hearing screening may aid in early risk stratification for cognitive impairment.
