A new study from the USC Caruso Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, part of Keck Medicine of USC, published today in JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, is the first to link hearing aids and cochlear implants, surgically implanted devices that help those with profound hearing loss perceive sound, to improved social lives among adults with hearing loss.

Hearing loss affects an estimated 40 million American adults, yet many go untreated. When left unaddressed, hearing loss can make communication difficult, leading people to withdraw from conversations and social activities, according to Janet Choi, MD, MPH, an otolaryngologist with Keck Medicine and lead researcher of the study.

Previous research has shown that over time, social withdrawal can reduce mental stimulation and increase the risk of loneliness, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline and dementia. It has also linked chronic social isolation to biological and neurological changes, including increased brain inflammation and alterations in brain structure.