Hearing Rehabilitation as Dementia Prevention: Redefining the Otolaryngologist’s Role in Managing Presbycusis

Abstract

The practice of otolaryngology has long focused on restoring auditory function and improving quality of life in patients with presbycusis. However, emerging high-level evidence demands a fundamental reconceptualization of our clinical mandate. Hearing rehabilitation is no longer merely symptomatic treatment; it represents a potentially disease-modifying intervention for cognitive decline and dementia. This paradigm shift carries profound implications for how we screen, counsel, treat, and follow our elderly patients with hearing impairment.