The effect of cochlear implants on cognitive decline in ageing Australians

本研究旨在探讨人工耳蜗植入对老年耳聋患者认知功能的影响。研究发现，耳聋与老年人认知能力下降速度加快30- 40%独立相关。目前还没有有效的治疗认知能力下降的方法。这项观察性研究的预期结果将帮助我们了解认知下降的生物学过程，听力损失是否是因果关系，以及该过程是否可以改变。这些发现应该适用于所有听力损失患者。如果人工耳蜗能够延缓认知能力的下降，这将对政策、老年人的生活质量和社会成本产生重大影响。

This project aims to investigate the impact of cochlear implants on cognitive function in elderly people with deafness. Deafness has been found to be independently associated with a 30–40 per cent accelerated rate of cognitive decline in elderly adults. There is currently no effective treatment for cognitive decline. The intended outcomes of this observational study will help us to understand the biological process of cognitive decline, whether hearing loss is causal, and whether the process can be altered. These findings should be applicable to all individuals with hearing loss. If cochlear implants delay cognitive decline, this would significantly affect policy, quality of life for the elderly, and the cost to society.