Fronto-temporal Dementia and hearing damage, correlated?
Yes, and alopecia has also been linked to dementia risk. Reduced socializing may be a factor in the risk.
Yes, is the short answer. Hollywood should likely do more to protect people’s ears on their action movie sets. As someone around rock and roll bands and practice, I became aware of the risks of hearing loss. Learning more about inflammation revealed that sound waves can be inflammatory too, leading to increased cytokine storm like symptoms which might progress if polyphenols and antioxidants aren’t provided and repeated trauma is happening too. Positive feedback loop of hyperinflammation leads to damage in the brain and the ears.
*Some follow-up health thoughts about the last post:
Protect your ears around load noises was a major concern of my father as he was a target shooter and ear protection is important around gunshots.
It is sad that the legacy of the movie series Die Hard is that action movie sets need better ear protection - but that Public Service Message is worth hearing and sharing. Dementia is bad and needs to be prevented far earlier than people realize. When Alzheimer’s dementia is diagnosed, the hippocampus is already 90% damaged. That is really amazing and is showing us just how good our bodies can be at maintaining function during stressors… and it is showing us that we need to protect ourselves from stress because we don’t notice how damaging it IS.
My dad had extra sets of headphones/sound reducing earmuffs that he kept handy with the vacuum cleaner and the lawn mower and in his tool shop. In industrial food prep we learn about metal mesh safety gloves for use with meat slicers or for other knife work which protect against cuts somewhat. Outdoor work needs gardening or lawn gloves, dish gloves for dishes, cold weather gear for cold weather, etcetera - safety standards are a pain in butt, however the managers set them to reduce incidents. Life happens, having habits of protective gear is a short-term inconvenience for the benefit of long-term results - ongoing quality of life.
Cooking, dusting, self-care chores, it is the same thing - do some work today to help promote a better tomorrow.
Die Hard series follow-up - I thought the father-son story was very well done and very well-acted. Maybe the best in some ways as a story/drama with character development.
BUT the fifth movie was even louder and more action scene destructive in some ways than the others. Big budget productions that destroy tons of property… is that really needed for something to be entertaining?
The flashing light intensity of action movies can trigger mast cells and leave a histamine sensitive person with a migraine the next day. I learned to wear sunglasses to concerts and action movies. Modern life is not really conducive to health and that is worth noting. In that fifth movie Bruce Willis also cracked a father-son joke about his hair loss being his son’s destiny too.
Second question for the search engine… is balding related to frontotemporal dementia risk or incidence? Answer - no specific studies found on that specifically, but alopecia has been linked to dementia, non-specified type, or Alzheimer’s risk.
However, one study (published in 2021) found a threefold higher risk of developing any dementia and a fourfold higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in patients with alopecia areata compared to controls. The study suggested that the shared inflammatory signature between alopecia areata and dementia, as well as the negative psychosocial impact of alopecia areata leading to poor social engagement (a risk factor for dementia), might contribute to this association. (Brave AI summary)
Epsom salt soaks - magnesium adequacy is essential for hearing. Vitamin B12 is critical for nerve function.
Time for me to live and let the past go. And make my Cheerful Juice mix. It was helping my mother too.
Frontotemporal Dementia and Hearing Damage, Brave AI summary.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a group of rare, progressive brain disorders that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes. Hearing loss, particularly mid-life hearing loss, has been linked to an increased risk of developing FTD. Here’s a breakdown of the complex relationship between FTD and hearing damage:
Auditory Phenotypes in FTD Subtypes
Behavioral Variant FTD (bvFTD): Characterized by changes in personality, social behavior, and language. Auditory symptoms include:
Sound aversion or musicophilia (excessive love of music)
Tinnitus
Phonagnosia (difficulty recognizing voices)
Abnormal emotional reactions to voices, environmental sounds, and music
Semantic Variant FTD (svFTD): Associated with language and semantic processing impairments. Auditory symptoms include:
Anomia (difficulty naming sounds or voices)
Impaired environmental sound recognition
Abnormal emotional reactions to sounds
Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA): A language-based variant of FTD. Auditory symptoms include:
Anomia (difficulty naming sounds or voices)
Impaired phoneme perception
Difficulty with speech processing and production
Mechanisms Underlying the Association
Shared Neuroanatomy: FTD and hearing loss both affect the auditory brain, including the primary auditory cortex, secondary auditory areas, and subcortical structures.
Impaired Auditory Processing: FTD disrupts normal auditory processing, leading to difficulties with sound recognition, emotional processing, and speech comprehension.
Vicious Cycle: Hearing loss can exacerbate cognitive decline in FTD, as the brain struggles to compensate for reduced auditory input.
Genetic Factors: Some genetic variants associated with FTD, such as GRN and C9ORF72, may also contribute to hearing loss.
Clinical Implications
Early Detection: Screening for hearing loss in individuals with FTD symptoms can help identify those at risk of cognitive decline.
Hearing Aids and Rehabilitation: Providing hearing aids and auditory rehabilitation can potentially slow cognitive decline and improve quality of life.
Multidisciplinary Care: FTD patients should receive comprehensive care from a team of specialists, including audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and neurologists.
In summary, the relationship between frontotemporal dementia and hearing damage is complex, with both conditions affecting the auditory brain and potentially interacting through vicious cycles. Early detection, hearing rehabilitation, and multidisciplinary care are essential for managing these conditions and improving patient outcomes.
publichealth.jhu.edu, Hearing Loss and the Dementia Connection | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School of Public Health
academic.oup.com, Hearing and dementia: from ears to brain | Brain | Oxford Academic
jamanetwork.com, Association of Hearing Loss With Dementia | Neurology | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network
Disclaimer: This information is being provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use and is not intended to provide individual health care guidance.
You’re quite the sleuth and great at connecting dots. Thank you for all the useful information you provide Jennifer! 🙏💕
I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which often is associated with hearing issues. The connective tissue we have just isn’t cutting it. I learned recently I’m not able to detect the highest sounds on a hearing test.