Dementia and in particular Alzheimer’s are diseases that occur mainly in old age. However, they can also occur before the age of 65. In this case, we speak of early-onset dementia. Numerous efforts are being made to understand what are the causes, the symptoms that anticipate the disease and possible treatments. On these pages we have often dealt with the subject. We have seen how, for example, dental problems can also be early symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Or again, according to international scientific studies, how common drinks that we drink in large quantities can be dangerous for stroke and dementia. In this article, we will focus on the ear and its relationship to cognitive decline. We must therefore be careful, because this annoying hearing problem could be a symptom of early dementia.
Tinnitus (or tinnitus) and the noise of silence
A few years ago, the anechoic room (without echo) of the Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis entered the Guinness Book of Records. This is the quietest room in the world. You can book and stay in the room, under supervision. Contrary to what one might imagine, those who entered and left after no more than a quarter of an hour due to all the internal noises of their body (heartbeat, stomach, lungs). In the words of Steven Orfield, president of the laboratories, “in the anechoic room, we become the sound”. Staying too long inside could create serious disturbances to the psychic balance.
Something similar happens to people suffering from tinnitus or tinnitus. Tinnitus is defined as a phantom auditory perception of a tone or noise in the absence of any external physical source. In other words, tinnitus sufferers can hear whistling, buzzing, or noises without others hearing them. It is a problem that is not entirely clear from a scientific point of view, but one that can be very debilitating emotionally and psychologically for those who suffer from it.
Be careful because this annoying hearing problem could be an early symptom of dementia
In a recent article published in Nature’s Scientific Reports (Chen YF et al, 2021), the relationship between the occurrence of tinnitus and the development of early-onset dementia was investigated. This is the first study of its kind. Dementia is a disease that never has a single cause. It can be assumed, and this is what the researchers did, that the damage to neurons leading to dementia is linked to the onset of tinnitus and vice versa.
According to the results, those with tinnitus between the ages of 30 and 64 have a 63% higher risk of having early-onset dementia. Still more studies are needed to unravel the fine mechanisms of this association.
Knowing your body and recognizing these disorders could help us prevent more serious health conditions with the help of your doctor.