Reacción a "Reactions to the study associating hearing loss with a higher risk of dementia"

This study repeats the frequently reported observation that having a hearing impairment is associated with subsequently receiving a formal diagnosis of dementia. This is consistent with the notion that hearing impairment may be an early feature of dementia or may share risk factors with some forms of dementia. It is not evidence that hearing impairment causes or exacerbates the progress of dementia. The fact that people who went on to be formally diagnosed with dementia were less likely to be using hearing aids would be readily explained by the fact that people in the early stages of dementia might derive less benefit from using hearing aids and would find their use more challenging. This study does not provide evidence that treating hearing loss with hearing aids would prevent dementia.