Andrew Oxenham discusses connection between hearing loss and dementia on WCCO’s Adam & Jordana podcast
Andrew J. Oxenham, faculty, recently joined the WCCO Adam & Jordana podcast to help answer the question, “can hearing loss lead to dementia?” In their conversation, they discussed the connections between hearing health, self-perception, and mental health.
Oxenham is an expert in the field of auditory perception and cognition, studying how the brain processes sound and how changes in hearing can affect daily life. On the podcast, Oxenham described the recent findings linking hearing loss to increased risk for cognitive decline and dementia. While this relationship is complex, research is underway to understand the mechanisms behind the links between hearing loss, social isolation, loneliness, depression, and longer-term cognitive decline. Oxenham contended that because the overall population age is increasing, understanding the link between hearing and brain health has become even more important. Via his research, Oxenham is contributing to that broader effort, with a goal to support more healthy aging.
Andrew Oxenham, PhD, is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor in the Department of Psychology and Otolaryngology at the University of Minnesota, Director of the Auditory Perception and Cognition Lab, and Director of the Center for Applied and Translational Sensory Science (CATSS).
Composed by Nguyen Kiet Pham, communications assistant.
