Dr. Arthur Wingfield, Professor of Neuroscience at Brandeis University, has been studying the relationship between memory and hearing acuity for years. He’s discovered that even if people with untreated hearing loss catch and register speech, their ability to remember the information is compromised.
Dr. Wingfield attributes this memory struggle to, in simple terms, the brain’s resources being stretched thin. He notes that people with even mild hearing loss “put in so much effort just to perceive and understand what is being said, that you divert resources away from storing what you have heard into your memory.”
Dr. Wingfield recommends adults get their hearing professionally tested each year — and to take it seriously and treat it professionally if hearing loss is found.
Be proactive and make annual hearing tests a part of your health routine. Click here to find a hearing professional near you who can help.
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