Our brain shrinks as we age. Interestingly enough, recent studies have shown that brain shrinkage occurs faster in hearing impaired individuals. This happens because a lack of hearing stimuli doesn’t affect just the ears. It also affects parts of the brain that deal with speech and sound. Parts of the brain that stop receiving sound stimuli shrink at a rapid rate and can lead to early onset cognitive impairment like dementia and Alzheimer’s. If you have concerns about your hearing, don’t wait. Get your hearing tested today. The sooner you return auditory stimulation to these parts of your brain’s hearing system, the better.
Lana Cuddeford, Nanaimo, HearingLife, HearingLife.ca