SynthesisPloS one2021
The effect of hearing aids on cognitive function: A systematic review.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06495268 (Healthy Hearing for Healthy Ageing), which is not on this map. Cited by 37 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Healthy Hearing for Healthy Ageing: a Proof-of-concept Randomized Controlled Trial of Data-driven Hearing Rehabilitation Versus Standard Care in Older Adults With Hearing Impairment.
Who cites it
37 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 66 citations in OpenAlex.
- Hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss in adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of Hearing Devices for Adults With Mild-to-Severe Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR · 2026Pooled it
- Impact of physical activity on children's cognitive function and its educational applications: a narrative literature review.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Pooled it
- Are Current Data Sufficient to Infer that Hearing Aids Contribute to Postural Control and Balance in Older Adults? A Systematic Review.Folia phoniatrica et logopaedica : official organ of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP) · 2024Pooled it
- Effect of hearing aids on cognitive functions in middle-aged and older adults with hearing loss: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Trial
- Review
- Subjective-objective health literacy discrepancy, reduced healthcare utilization, and functional limitations associated with hearing loss.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026Article
- Hearing Loss, Cognitive Decline, and Dementia: Clinical Intersections.Audiology research · 2026Review
- Cognitive Outcomes After Cochlear Implantation in Older Adults: A Narrative Review of Current Evidence, Mechanisms, and Long-Term Perspectives.Audiology research · 2026Review
- Auditory Skills and Cognitive Functions in Adult Hearing Aid Users: A Cross-Sectional Observational Comparison Study.Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology · 2026Article
- Hearing Loss Among Older Adults: Epidemiology, Disparities, and Gaps in Research.Annual review of public health · 2026Review
- Mood and Cognitive Disorders Following Hearing Loss: Impact of Hearing Aid Timing.Audiology research · 2026Review
- Impact of Amplification and Noise on Subjective Cognitive Effort and Fatigue in Older Adults with Hearing Loss.Brain sciences · 2026Article
- Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation, and Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Measure of Audiologic Rehabilitation Self-Efficacy for Hearing Aids (P-MARS-HA).Audiology research · 2025Article
- Can Hearing Aids Improve Physical Activity in Adults with Hearing Loss? A Feasibility Study.Audiology research · 2025Article
- Impact of over 6 months of digital hearing aid usage on auditory working memory in acquired severe to profound hearing loss.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2025Article
- The effect of removing hearing aids on postural sway in older adults with age-related hearing loss: an experimental study.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2025Article
- The effect of hearing ability on dual-task performance following multi-domain training in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: findings from the SYNERGIC trial.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
rationaleDementia currently affects 50 million people globally with this expected to triple by 2050. Even though hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Considering hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor for developing dementia, it is essential to study the effect of hearing aids on cognitive function.
objectiveTo systematically review the existing literature to examine the evidence for using hearing aids intervention as a treatment for deteriorating cognitive function.
designA search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and grey literature was conducted revealing 3060 unique records between 1990-2020. Two reviewers independently selected longitudinal studies observing the effects of hearing aids on cognitive function in persons without dementia at onset of the study. Due to the heterogeneity of the data, a meta-analysis could not be performed. Outcomes are described in a summary of findings table and portrayed diagrammatically.
resultsWe identified 17 unique studies, spanning 30 years of research and 3526 participants. The included studies made use of 50 different cognitive function tests. These tests were grouped into separate cognitive domains according to the DSM-V classification for further analysis. The most beneficial impact of hearing aids seems to be in the cognitive domain of executive function, with six studies showing improvement, two studies being inconclusive and three studies not demonstrating a significant effect. Three of five studies demonstrated significant improvement when screening for brief mental status. The least beneficial impact is seen in domain of complex attention, with eight studies showing no significant effects, compared with one demonstrating improvement with intervention.
conclusionsBased on this systematic review, we conclude that there is controversy about the effects of hearing aids on cognition. Additional research through randomized clinical trials with standardized cognitive assessment and longer follow-up is warranted to further elucidate this relationship.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.