Common, treatable ear conditions are linked to higher odds of dementia; treatment may help

MedicalXpress | Apr 13, 2026

A recent study published in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery finds that two common and treatable causes of conductive hearing loss—eardrum perforations and cholesteatoma, a type of abnormal skin growth in the middle ear—are associated with higher odds of dementia. Notably, the study also found that treatment, whether through surgery or hearing aids, was associated with a reduction in that elevated risk.