Hearing loss combined with the feelings of loneliness accelerates cognitive decline, leading to dementia in older adults, according to a study.

Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) in Switzerland showed that isolation, communication difficulties, reduced alertness, and hearing impairment or loss are a real challenge in daily life.

The findings, published in the journal Communications Psychology, showed that hearing loss accelerates cognitive decline, particularly among individuals who feel lonely, regardless of whether they are socially isolated.