PULLMAN, WA – A recent health initiative at Washington State University (WSU) reveals that hearing loss is more prevalent among participants than the national average. This summer, 160 people took part in free community health screenings across the Inland Northwest.
This finding raises concerns among researchers. Hearing loss can lead to faster cognitive decline by distracting the brain from memory tasks and reducing social interactions. Early detection and intervention can make a big difference.
“Protecting your brain as you age involves taking care of your hearing, and it’s often an easy fix,” said Amy Kemp, an assistant professor at WSU’s Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences.
Kemp leads the BRAIN FIT initiative, which stands for Building a Repository for Aging, Interventions, and Neurocognitive Function: Factors that Impact Cognitive Trajectories. The initiative aims to raise awareness of risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia in rural areas of eastern Washington and northern Idaho. It also trains students and gathers data for ongoing research. This summer, Kemp’s team focused on cardiovascular health, nutrition, and other lifestyle impacts on brain health, providing tailored advice to participants to help lower their risk of cognitive decline.
“I want to connect research with community needs,” Kemp said. “My lab aims to share findings with those who will benefit most.”
Students from various departments gained practical experience by participating in the clinic. They conducted screenings under faculty supervision, contributing to valuable insights and research. Their work is funded in part by the Granger Cobb Institute of Senior Living.
The team plans to continue the mobile clinic next year, focusing on modifiable risk factors for healthy aging. Preliminary data shows participants had high scores on many risk factors, with 23% of them scoring low on cognitive tests.
This repository of data will support graduate students in their own research. Three students are already using it to explore important questions about brain health. They will present their findings to the community in the spring.
Master’s student Madison Baller is looking into how mental health and adverse childhood experiences affect cognitive health in later years. Given that depression and emotional well-being are known risk factors for dementia, her research emphasizes the importance of mental health awareness in the U.S.
Another student, Janelle Wilson, is examining the relationship between vision and hearing loss and cognitive decline. She hopes the practical resources her team developed will help individuals address these issues. “We want to make sure helpful tools are easy to find,” she noted.
Hannah Tjelle, another master’s student, is keen on understanding how individuals use resources after clinic visits. She wants to see if those with mild cognitive impairment require ongoing support. Her experiences will shape her future career in speech-language pathology.
This initiative highlights the urgent need for awareness related to brain health, especially concerning hearing. With the right interventions, people can improve their quality of life as they age.
For further reading on cognitive health and its connection to hearing loss, you can check out the insights provided by the Lancet.
