Cognitive function and quality of life in older adult patients with cochlear implants

Abstract

<b>Objective:</b> This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of cochlear implant (CI) on speech perception, quality of life (QoL), and cognitive function in profoundly deafened older adults.<b>Design:</b> Longitudinal and cross-sectional cohort study.<b>Study sample:</b> Participants in this study were CI recipients aged 65 years or older (experimental group), CI recipients aged 50 years or younger (control group 1), and normal-hearing participants aged 65 years or older (control group 2).<b>Results:</b> Speech perception significantly improved in both groups of implanted patients (preoperative vs. 1-year median [IQR] sentence recognition: older patients, 0 (0-20) vs. 90 (70-95), <i>p</i> = 0.001; younger patients, 35 (0-50) vs. 90 (80-100), <i>p</i> = 0.001). There were no significant differences in QoL (Glasgow Benefit Inventory) between younger and older patients (median [IQR] overall benefit score, 42 (31-64) vs. 53 (39-69), <i>p</i> = 0.2). Mini-Mental State Examination scores showed no significant differences between elderly CI recipients and normal-hearing participants (median [IQR], 28 (26-28) vs. 28 (27-29), <i>p</i> = 0.5).<b>Conclusions:</b> Cochlear implantation rehabilitation allows the profoundly deafened older adult to lead a QoL comparable to that of a younger patient. The correlation between hearing restoration and cognitive function preservation in older adults suggest a possible role for CI as a useful resource in limiting age-related cognitive decline.