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Dr. Eric Smouha - “Cochlear Implants May Also Boost Seniors' Mood, Thinking: Study”

  • HealthDay
  • New York, NY
  • (March 12, 2015)

Cochlear implants not only boost hearing in seniors with severe hearing loss, they might also enhance their emotional state and thinking abilities, a new study finds. While the study couldn't prove cause-and-effect, the cochlear implants were associated with improved speech perception in quiet and noisy settings, better quality of life, lower rates of depression, and improved thinking skills. "It has become increasingly recognized that deafness in the elderly population can be misdiagnosed as cognitive dysfunction or even dementia," said Eric Smouha, MD, director of otology and neurology at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Learn more