Much data much research in the past 10-20 years in the hearing loss world has focused around how hearing loss can actually worsen early cognitive decline. We all see patients who are elderly have significant disabling dementia. At this point it simply too late for hearing aids to do much good. However often acting earlier, when patients are often in their early 60s or 70s, gives us a lot of opportunity to impart change. Many of our hearing loss patients are now getting an abbreviated neuro-cognitive test to supplement our hearing loss measures. This can help us better make decisions about when to treat hearing loss. We are also able to follow cognitive change, looking for improvement, 6-9 months after hearing aids are started.
The tests are done in the Hearing Center on dedicated equipment and preliminary results are available right away. It only takes a few minutes.
Dr. Stacy Pickelman is leaving the cognitive testing effort at the Hearing Center. Dr. Pickelman and the Ear Nose & Throat surgeons are interpreting the cognitive tests together