Researchers say it’s possible to reduce your risk of developing dementia with a test that is easily available on the high street
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Dementia affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK, and it’s a condition many of us fear developing. While there is no guaranteed way to prevent it, experts say one simple step could help reduce the risk: taking a hearing test.
Research has increasingly linked hearing loss, which affects an estimated 12 million UK adults, to a higher likelihood of developing dementia. A major 2023 review of dementia risk factors found that people who experience unaddressed hearing loss in midlife may be up to five times more likely to develop the condition than those without it.
Yet awareness of this link remains strikingly low. A recent Alzheimer’s Research UK report, Dementia Attitudes Monitor, found that just 3% of people could name hearing loss as a risk factor. The charity warns that this knowledge gap could mean millions are missing an opportunity to lower their risk.
The report also found that dementia is the health condition Brits fear most. But there is reason for hope: research suggests that up to 45% of dementia cases are associated with risk factors we can influence. Addressing hearing loss – for example, by taking a high-street hearing test – is one of the steps experts say could make a meaningful difference.
How hearing loss is linked to dementia
Hearing loss has been linked to cognitive decline, which raises the risk of developing dementia.
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Hearing loss can impact our cognitive abilities in several ways:
Social isolation
Hearing loss can lead to social isolation and reduced engagement in social activities. Isolation and loneliness are known risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia.
Cognitive load
Even mild hearing loss requires more cognitive effort to understand speech and follow conversations. This increased cognitive load may divert resources from other cognitive tasks, potentially contributing to cognitive decline over time.
Brain changes
Some studies have also suggested that untreated hearing loss might lead to brain changes, which could be linked to cognitive impairment and the onset of dementia.
Why a hearing test could help
Getting regular hearing tests can help a person start looking after their hearing early, whether it’s by wearing earplugs to block very loud noises or by using hearing aids to hear better.
Research suggests that using hearing aids to treat hearing loss may help slow the development of cognitive problems.
A 2023 study published in the medical journal The Lancet found that people who used hearing aids reported substantial improvement in their ability to communicate over the course of the study.
New ‘brain hearing’ tests to come
The warning comes as neurology researcher Dr Jessica Jiang, a senior research fellow at University College London, is working to develop new hearing tests that could help identify certain types of dementia at an early stage.
Her work, which is being funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK and will start in June 2026, will examine “brain hearing”, which refers to the way our brains process sounds in everyday environments.
Tests aimed at measuring brain hearing can also be used to explore diverse hearing groups, including those who do not speak English as their first language.
Dr Jessica Jiang said: “We often see people in the early stages of dementia come into clinic struggling to process what they hear in noisy settings, like a restaurant, but their hearing tests (at the ear ‘level’) then suggest normal hearing.
“My work is about developing hearing tests that assess the brain’s ability to process sounds – potentially to detect early dementia, and also to predict how well someone is able to hear and communicate in their daily life.
“These new tests could offer a way to diagnose dementia and plan treatments that is accessible to many more people.”
Dr Sheona Scales, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, added: “With nearly half of global dementia cases linked to factors we can influence as an individual or society, there is a huge opportunity to reduce our overall risk.
“Addressing hearing loss is an effective step we can take to protect our long‑term brain health.”