# Do cochlear implants mitigate the risk of Alzheimer's disease dementia andimprove neuropsychological well-being in older adults?

> **NIH NIH R21** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2020 · $419,375

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Age-related hearing loss and Alzheimer’s disease dementia (Alzheimer’s) are distinct neurologic conditions
that affect millions of older adults worldwide. Age-related hearing loss is the third most common, chronic
condition and the most common sensory deficit among older adults. From prior work, we have identified
hearing loss as a risk factor for dementia through epidemiologic studies. The mechanisms of how age-related
hearing loss cause Alzheimer’s or whether treating hearing loss decreases the risk for Alzheimer’s, however,
are unknown. For patients on the extreme end of the hearing loss spectrum with severe-profound hearing loss,
the most effective form of hearing restoration is with a cochlear implant (CI). It is unknown how an intervention
to restore hearing via cochlear implantation will have any cognitive benefit or will decrease the risk of
developing Alzheimer’s. We hypothesize that restoring hearing via cochlear implantation in older adults with
severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss will mitigate the risk of AD. We also hypothesize CI will improve
neuropsychological well-being, as determined by clinical and social metrics, in older adults with hearing loss,
thus reducing risk for Alzheimer’s.
 To evaluate whether CI can mitigate the risk and decrease the incidence of AD, we propose using the Utah
Population Database (UPDB) to answer this important question. The Utah Population Database (UPDB) is a
unique database that contains records of over 11 million individuals linked with health histories, and
genealogies, spanning from the 1800’s to current day. It serves as a powerful epidemiologic tool that can be
used to look at trends of incidence and prevalence of disease over time. The UPDB has not yet been utilized
to evaluate cochlear implant outcomes in older adults. Using the UPDB is an innovative and novel way to
evaluate the impact of hearing loss on cognition and Alzheimer’s. This project will evaluate the largest
cohort of older CI recipients to be studied to answer important questions relating to aging research. Utilizing
this database could provide new insights into the pathology and management of how treating hearing loss may
prevent dementia.
 The significance of this work is to determine if hearing restoration via a CI can prevent AD in older adults
with hearing loss. Completion of this study will better inform future studies looking at how hearing health can
benefit older adults.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10129165
- **Project number:** 1R21AG067403-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** RICHARD K. GURGEL
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $419,375
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-15 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10129165

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10129165, Do cochlear implants mitigate the risk of Alzheimer's disease dementia andimprove neuropsychological well-being in older adults? (1R21AG067403-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10129165. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*