A Change in Your Voice Could Foreshadow Cognitive Decline, Major Study Finds
The study found 58% higher risk for voice disorder alone and 104% higher with hearing loss among 833,417 adults.
- Researchers at Drexel University College found that changes in voice quality may signal an increased risk of developing Alzheimer or dementia, according to findings published in the Journal of Voice.
- Voice disorders often precede physical signs in Parkinson patients, offering a clinical parallel to the cognitive decline connection researchers observed with voice changes.
- Participants with voice disorders alone were 58 percent more likely to develop cognitive impairment, while those with both voice disorders and hearing loss showed a 104 percent increased risk.
- Robert Sataloff, a professor at Drexel's College of Medicine, suggests patients consult an otolaryngologist for cognitive assessment to "arrange a cognitive assessment to help patients develop an appropriate care plan."
- Future studies should explore whether specific voice disorder types differentially predict cognitive decline, as taking this research further could reveal whether treatment interventions affect dementia risk over time.
19 Articles
19 Articles
The way we talk could contain clues about changes that occur long before cognitive symptoms appear.
If the voice sounds different, there is often a harmless cause behind it. However, a study now indicates that certain vocal disorders can also be an early warning sign of mental degradation.
People with voice disorders are at significantly higher risk of mental decline than others, according to a study by US researchers.
The Independent
The Independent (US)The way you talk can reveal how quickly you are ageing. Here are the signs
A younger sounding voice is thought to be faster with less pauses, according to researchers
The pitch, volume or clarity of the voice can change in old age for many reasons. However, a large study shows now: Diagnosed vocal disorders can be early indications of an incipient dementia.
A Change in Your Voice Could Foreshadow Cognitive Decline, Major Study Finds
Catching signs of dementia early – before the main symptoms have started to show – means a bigger window of opportunity to study the progression of the condition, and to put support in place for those affected.
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