Hearing aids for the brain? study tests if cochlear implants boost memory in seniors
NCT ID NCT02729402
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at whether cochlear implants, which help restore hearing, can also improve thinking and memory in adults aged 65 and older with hearing loss. Researchers gave 37 participants a series of cognitive tests before surgery and again at 6 months, 12 months, and 5 years after. The goal was to see if better hearing might lead to better brain function over time.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- cochlear implant
- What this could lead to
- If hearing restoration through cochlear implants is linked to better cognitive scores, it could point toward a way to slow or prevent dementia in older adults with hearing loss.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-group study with no control group, so any cognitive changes could be due to other factors. The results may not apply to everyone with hearing loss.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
37 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jun 2015
- Finished
-
Oct 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
65 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * The subjects will be age 65 years and older, with no upper limit of age range with hearing loss that are candidates for a cochlear implant. Exclusion Criteria: * Those patients who are not able to undergo cochlear implantation surgery due to medical co-morbidities would not be eligible for the study.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
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