Age-Related Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline: Clinical Challenges, Rehabilitation, and Virtual Reality Innovations
Ahmadreza Nazeri, seyede zohre mousavi, Azadeh Borna, Farnaz Fathollahzadeh, Zahra Polat
With the global population aging, age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and its consequences on cognitive health have emerged as urgent clinical challenges for audiologists and otolaryngologists. This instructional course will examine the neurobiological links between ARHL and cognitive decline, outlining how changes in hearing can accelerate cognitive impairment and complicate diagnosis. We will review the latest clinical assessment tools for identifying cognitive issues related to hearing loss and discuss evidence-based strategies for auditory and cognitive rehabilitation. Special attention will be given to innovative uses of virtual reality (VR) in auditory training and cognitive rehabilitation, highlighting enhanced patient engagement and functional improvement. Real-world case studies will demonstrate the diagnostic and rehabilitative challenges unique to this population. Participants will learn skills to recognize and manage cognitive comorbidities in patients with ARHL and to integrate VR technologies into tailored audiological care.