In a past article, we explored six different ways to sidestep Alzheimer’s disease, which included seeking treatment for hearing loss.

As Doctors of Audiology, we not only advocate for better hearing health but for your better overall health. In that vein, we would like to consider another possible contributor to your neurological and cognitive health risks.

Research suggests that hormone imbalances could increase your risk of developing negative neurological and cognitive health conditions, including dementia, especially if you are a woman.

According to the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, “While the reasons behind this higher risk are not fully understood, it is hypothesized that changes in hormone balance due to aging play a critical role in the onset of dementia, particularly indicating a tendency towards Alzheimer’s disease.”

While this study doesn’t show a direct link to hearing loss, as a co-contributor along with hearing loss, it is something I believe my patients should keep in mind as they work on sidestepping Alzheimer’s disease.

Sex Hormones Play a Role in Cognitive Health

Sex hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, assist in the process of chemical signaling in the brain, a critical process in cognitive function and neural health.

An estrogen imbalance, especially a peri-menopausal decline, can lead to reduced levels of cortisol, which is a neurotransmitter that plays a critical role in chemical communication in the brain.

Decreased levels of sex hormones and a subsequent imbalance of cortisol contribute to memory loss and other cognitive health issues.

Hormone Testing as a Diagnostic Tool for Assessing Dementia

Testing shows that while women experience a rapid decline in estrogen and progesterone levels as they age and men undergo an age-related loss of testosterone, their deficiency can exacerbate neurological conditions.

For this reason, hormone testing has become a diagnostic tool for assessing patients with dementia symptoms. It is valuable because of the connection between the age-related depletion of sex hormones and their role in cognitive and neural health.

Hormone Imbalance as a Contributor to Memory Loss

Hormone imbalances associated with the pituitary gland have a significant impact on memory and cognitive function. These imbalances often lead to symptoms like memory lapses, depression, fatigue, and insomnia.

While cortisol is most often associated with your body’s response to stress, it is also an important neurotransmitter that, at declining levels, contributes to memory loss and other cognitive impairments.

The Role of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Because of the critical role played by sex hormones in neural health and cognitive function, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has the potential to provide a treatment solution for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other cognitive challenges.

Hormone adjustment and balancing using bioidentical HRT is a potential therapeutic consideration since they are designed to be chemically identical to those the body produces naturally.

Could a Hormone Imbalance Also Contribute to Hearing Challenges?

As a Doctor of Audiology, I was curious to ask another question about hormone imbalance in relation to hearing health.

Could a hormone imbalance also contribute to hearing challenges?

Research seems to indicate that reduced levels of estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, insulin, and thyroid hormones could contribute to hearing loss and tinnitus.

Stay tuned, because that’s a topic for another article.

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