'Strong' early dementia sign others may notice first, study finds — not memory loss

'Strong' early dementia sign others may notice first, study finds — not memory loss Others may notice a difference before you do. Voice disorders may be a more accurate sign of dementia than hearing loss, a new study reports. The findings come from the first large-scale study on diagnosed voice disorders and cognitive decline. One sign of dementia is cognitive decline — memory loss and decreased thinking skills that can be confused with natural ageing. People experiencing worsening voice quality and no hearing loss may be at 58% greater risk of dementia or cognitive impairment than those not experiencing a voice disorder, report researchers from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The link between hearing loss and an increased risk of developing dementia is well documented. Studies have found that changes in the brain related to hearing loss — as well as any resulting social isolation — suggest a greater dementia risk. However, these findings challenge hearing loss as the main area of focus for diagnosing cognitive decline. Voice disorders and dementia Authors of the study, published this month in the Journal of Voice, suggest further research into whether voice disorders prove a stronger link to cognitive decline than hearing loss, as well as whether treating of voice disorders can slow cognitive decline. "If you have a voice disorder that impacts how your voice sounds or if it’s painful when you attempt to talk or sing, it’s only natural to participate less often in brain-supporting social or other engaging activities," said Robert Sataloff, MD, a professor and chair in Drexel's College of Medicine and a senior author of the study. "We already see this in patients with Parkinson’s disease, in which voice disorders often precede other physical signs of the disease." Researchers tracked data of over 833,000 patients at yearly GP check-ups in America beginning a minimum of a year before they were diagnosed with a voice or hearing loss disorder. The study found a greater association between cognitive decline and voice disorders than among those with hearing loss and no voice disorders. "Our work shows that voice disorders may be an earlier and stronger sign of cognitive decline than hearing loss alone," said Sataloff. "We found the strongest link with dementia among patients experiencing a voice disorder and hearing loss; but importantly, we found that those with a voice disorder and no hearing loss were at greater risk than patients who experience hearing loss only. "It may be valuable for many of these patients to talk with an otolaryngologist who can arrange a cognitive assessment to help patients develop an appropriate care plan."