Feel lonely despite friends? Your hearing could be to blame for memory loss

Hearing loss doesn’t just affect conversation — it could be quietly accelerating memory decline, especially in older adults who feel lonely. In a ground breaking study from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), researchers have found that the combination of hearing impairment and perceived loneliness significantly speeds up cognitive deterioration, even in those who aren’t socially isolated.

The study, published in Communication Psychology, analysed data from over 33,000 people aged 50+ across 12 European countries as part of the ongoing SHARE project (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe). Over time, researchers tracked participants' memory performance alongside their hearing ability, social interactions, and feelings of loneliness.

"We identified three key profiles," explained Charikleia Lampraki, lead author and postdoctoral researcher at UNIGE’s Faculty of Psychology. "Those who were socially isolated and felt lonely, those who weren’t isolated but still felt lonely, and those who were isolated but didn’t feel lonely."

Surprisingly, it was the second group — people who felt lonely despite being socially connected — who showed the most dramatic cognitive decline when also affected by hearing loss.

“This combination is like an explosive cocktail for brain aging,” warned Professor Matthias Kliegel, co-author and head of UNIGE’s Cognitive Ageing Laboratory.

According to the World Health Organization, over 2.5 billion people will experience hearing loss by 2050, and one in four people over 60 already live with disabling hearing issues — a group at 2 to 3 times greater risk for cognitive deterioration.

The researchers stress the urgent need for early and preventive hearing care. “For people who are socially active but feel lonely, simply removing the barrier of hearing loss — like with hearing aids — could boost their engagement and safeguard memory,” Lampraki added.

With Europe's population rapidly aging, the findings make a compelling case for integrating hearing checks and emotional well-being assessments into senior care.