Tinnitus Linked to Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults
THURSDAY, Sept. 11, 2025 -- In adults aged 60 years and older, tinnitus, especially severe and prolonged tinnitus, is significantly associated with cognitive impairment, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in Brain Sciences.
Sarah Alshehri, M.B.B.S., and Abdulaziz Abdulrahman S. Al Hatem, M.B.B.S., from King Khalid University in Abha, Saudi Arabia, examined the association between chronic tinnitus and cognitive function in adults aged 60 years and older and assessed whether the risk for cognitive impairment was increased in association with severity and duration of tinnitus in a cross-sectional study conducted among older adults. Participants were divided into tinnitus and nontinnitus groups (120 each).
Participants with tinnitus were significantly older than those without and had higher rates of hearing loss, depression, and poor sleep quality. The researchers found that the tinnitus group had significantly lower scores on the Mini-Cog (2.87 ± 1.14 versus 3.52 ± 1.06) and the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (6.95 ± 1.42 versus 8.02 ± 1.18). Independent associations were seen for tinnitus presence, longer duration, and higher severity with cognitive impairment. The odds of impairment were significantly increased with each 10-point increase in the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score.
"These findings underscore the relevance of tinnitus as a clinical marker for cognitive assessment in the elderly and emphasize the need for comprehensive evaluation in patients presenting with chronic tinnitus," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Read this next
Insomnia Linked to Cognitive Decline, Cognitive Impairment
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 10, 2025 -- Insomnia is associated with cognitive decline and risk for cognitive impairment (CI), according to a study published online Sept. 10 in...
Dementia Odds Significantly Increase With More Psychiatric Comorbidities
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 10, 2025 -- Dementia odds significantly increase with the number of psychiatric comorbidities, according to a study published online Sept. 9 in BMJ Mental...
Alzheimer Disease Associated With Greater Neural Flexibility
TUESDAY, Sept. 9, 2025 -- Alzheimer disease (AD) is associated with greater neural flexibility (NF) in older adults, according to a study published online July 17 in...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.