Voice disorders are associated with an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment
Quick Look
Scientists at Drexel University College of Medicine found that voice problems in people over 50 are associated with a 29 to 104 percent increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, depending on the presence of hearing problems, which may point to voice as an early marker of risk.
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Why It Matters
The study followed more than 833,000 people over 50 years of age, examining the relationship between voice disturbances (changes in pitch, loudness, clarity) and the subsequent development of cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
Voice changes may indicate an increased risk of developing dementia and other cognitive impairments in the future. Scientists at Drexel University College of Medicine came to this conclusion after analyzing data from more than 833 thousand people over 50 years of age. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Voice (JV).
The researchers studied voice disturbances, including changes in pitch, loudness and clarity, and then tracked the emergence of cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
People with voice disorders but no hearing loss had a 58 percent higher risk of later cognitive problems than the control group. When voice and hearing impairments were combined, the rate was 104 percent higher. Overall, among people with voice problems, the risk increase was 29 percent.
Scientists say one of the possible reasons for this connection is a decrease in social activity. Voice problems may cause a person to talk and socialize less frequently, which reduces the social and cognitive load that is important for maintaining brain health.
However, the study does not prove that voice disorders cause dementia. The authors believe that voice changes may be an additional early marker of increased disease risk.
Open Questions
- What specific mechanisms underlie the association between voice disorders and cognitive decline?
- Can treating voice problems reduce the risk of dementia?
- How long should patients with voice disorders be monitored to predict cognitive risk?
