Hearing has a much bigger influence on our brain health than many people realize. The auditory system plays a critical role in how the brain develops, functions, and stays healthy throughout our lives.
In this guide, we explore how hearing shapes brain health at different stages of life, from birth to older adulthood. Read on to learn how healthy hearing supports cognitive development in childhood, brain efficiency in adulthood, and cognitive resilience later in life.
Hearing and Brain Development in Babies and Toddlers (0–4 Years)
During the first years of life, our brains develop at an extraordinary pace. From birth, babies use sound to begin learning language, recognizing voices, and understanding their environment.
When hearing loss goes untreated during this stage of life, the brain adjusts by focusing on other ways of understanding the world (sight, smell, touch, etc.). However, this can affect the development of speech, language, and communication skills, making early hearing screening and intervention essential.
Below, we take a closer look at how hearing supports brain development in babies and toddlers aged 0-4 years old:
Neural Connectivity Development
Did you know that over 1 million neural connections are formed every second during the first few years of life?1 These connections in the brain enable learning, memory, motor skills, emotional and behavioral development, and more.
Hearing is one of the senses that aids in this process. Every sound a baby hears helps their brain form these neural connections. When hearing is limited, the brain receives less stimulation to certain areas, which can slow or alter how neural connections are made. This can be especially impactful on early speech and language development.
Language Development
Even before they speak, infants are actively learning language and communication skills. Hearing helps them to recognize speech patterns, understand emotions, and eventually form words and sentences.
If hearing is limited, language development can be affected because the brain isn’t getting the sound input needed to learn.
Hearing and Brain Development in Children (5–12 Years)
As children enter school age, hearing health becomes closely linked to social and academic success. When a child can’t hear clearly, participating in class, following directions, and even socializing can be more challenging.
Below, we explore the links between hearing health and brain development in children aged 5-12 years old:
Social-Emotional Development
Whether at school, home, or among friends, engaging in conversations and group play is essential for children’s social-emotional development. Effective communication is important to form friendships, understand emotions, and respond appropriately in social situations.
If hearing difficulties go unaddressed, tone of voice, subtle verbal cues, and group conversations can all become harder to navigate. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for children with untreated hearing loss to feel left out or misunderstood. This can greatly impact a child’s self-confidence and emotional development during their early formative years.
Communication Skills
Hearing plays a role in helping children develop strong communication skills during their school age years. Children between the ages of 5 and 12 are rapidly expanding their vocabulary, refining speech patterns, and learning how to communicate effectively.
If hearing issues go unaddressed, this can lead to misunderstandings, frustration, and even delays in communication skills. In fact, research shows that children with untreated hearing loss are two to six times more likely to experience measurable communication difficulties compared to their peers with healthy hearing.2
Hearing and Brain Development in Teens (13–19 Years)
Adolescence is a period of significant development, especially in skillsets like decision-making, emotional regulation, and social interaction. Teens with untreated hearing loss may experience increased listening fatigue, social withdrawal, or challenges in environments like classrooms and social settings.
Protecting hearing and addressing problems early supports healthy development during a stage of life when cognitive and emotional systems are still maturing.
Below are some of the ways hearing impacts brain development for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19 years old:
Peer Relationships
Friendships become especially important for maintaining mental, emotional, and social health during adolescence. Healthy hearing helps teens easily participate in fast-paced conversations, pick up social cues, and resolve conflicts. These experiences are an essential part of developing social awareness and emotional intelligence.
Peer relationships during teenage years also play an important role in mental health. One study found that teens who prioritized close friendships had fewer symptoms of depression and less social anxiety later in adulthood.3
Academic Performance
Most traditional learning environments rely heavily on spoken instruction, discussion, and rapid information exchange. If hearing difficulties go unaddressed, the brain must work overtime just to process sound, leaving less mental energy to retain the information efficiently.
Over time, this can influence focus, energy levels, participation, and academic performance overall. Research shows that teens with untreated hearing loss are almost 2 times more likely to be placed at a lower educational level.4
Hearing and Brain Health for Adults (20–59 Years)
Hearing plays a key role in maintaining brain health as we age. During adulthood, healthy hearing helps the brain process sound efficiently, allowing us to interpret speech quickly and accurately without unnecessary strain. When hearing declines, the brain must work harder to “fill in the gaps,” which can increase cognitive load and reduce mental efficiency over time.
Below, we take a close look at the link between hearing and brain health in adults between the ages of 20 and 59 years old:
Increased Cognitive Load
Adults with untreated hearing loss often experience what researchers call increased cognitive load.5 Because the brain must work harder to perceive sound, fewer cognitive resources are available for memory, comprehension, and multitasking.
Over time, this can lead to:
- Mental fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Declined critical thinking
- Reduced working memory
- Slower speech comprehension
- Increased stress during conversations
This extra effort isn’t always immediately obvious, but it can compound over time, especially in demanding professional and social settings. If left unaddressed, it can also have serious cognitive consequences in older adulthood.
Workplace Performance
Healthy hearing is essential for effective communication, collaboration, and problem solving in the workplace. In many professional settings, most of our daily mental workload involves participating in meetings, following spoken instructions, collaborating with colleagues, and responding quickly to conversations.
When hearing declines, job performance can be impacted, even when skills and experience remain unchanged.
Social Engagement
Beyond the workplace, hearing also plays a critical role in maintaining strong social connections. Regular social engagement supports cognitive health as we get older. Social interactions, conversations, and hobbies keep the brain stimulated, active, and healthy.
Difficulty hearing conversations can cause people to start avoiding social situations, especially in noisy environments like restaurants or gatherings. This reduced engagement limits cognitive stimulation and can negatively impact overall brain health, especially in older adulthood.
Hearing and Brain Health in Older Adults (60+ Years)
As we age, the relationship between our hearing and brain health becomes even more critical. Research shows a strong link between untreated hearing loss, cognitive decline, and increased risk of dementia, especially for people over the age of 60.6
Maintaining hearing health in older adulthood supports communication, social connection, and cognitive function. Addressing hearing loss can help keep the brain engaged, reduce listening effort, and support long-term quality of life. In fact, research has found that hearing aids reduce the rate of cognitive decline by almost 50% in at risk adults.7
Below, we take a closer look at how hearing impacts brain health in older adults:
Increased Brain Tissue Atrophy
Just like our muscles need regular exercise to remain strong, our brains require regular stimulation to stay healthy. When we receive less sound stimulation, areas of the brain can physically shrink.
While our brains naturally grow smaller with age, MRI scans show that adults with untreated hearing loss have a faster rate of brain tissue shrinkage. In fact, they can experience an extra cubic centimeter of tissue loss each year.8 This can accelerate cognitive decline and increase the likelihood of developing dementia.
Cognitive Decline and Dementia Risk
As we explained above, auditory stimulation is essential for keeping the brain healthy. Over time, a lack of stimulation can contribute to accelerated changes in brain structure, particularly in areas responsible for memory, language, and other cognitive functions.
Research shows that even mild hearing loss doubles the risk of dementia, and severe hearing loss increases the likelihood by five times.6
Social Isolation
Hearing loss is one of the most common causes of social isolation in older adults.9 Unfortunately, reduced social interaction can negatively affect brain health, mood, and overall well-being. Research shows that social isolation can increase the risk of dementia by 50% for older adults.10
Supporting your hearing health makes it easier to stay involved in conversations, maintain relationships, and continue participating in the activities you love. All of which helps keep your brain healthy and engaged.
Protect Your Hearing and Brain Health–Schedule a Hearing Evaluation Today
Hearing plays an integral role in brain health and development at every stage in life. Regular hearing evaluations and timely intervention can make a meaningful difference in daily communication and quality of life.
At Audibel, our specialists are here to provide the personalized hearing care you deserve. We can help you find the best solutions for your unique needs, lifestyle, and budget. Find an Audibel hearing clinic near you and schedule an appointment today.
References
- Brain Architecture: An ongoing process that begins before birth. (2025, March 13). Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/brain-architecture/
- Hogan, A., Shipley, M., Strazdins, L., Purcell, A., & Baker, E. (2011). Communication and behavioural disorders among children with hearing loss increases risk of mental health disorders. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 35(4), 377–383. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.2011.00744.x
- Close friendships in high school predict improvements in mental health in young adulthood. (2017b, August 17). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170822092221.htm
- Reijers, S. N., Vroegop, J. L., Jansen, P. W., Kremer, B., & Van Der Schroeff, M. P. (2024). The impact of slight to mild hearing loss on academic performance and behavior of 9–15‐Year‐Olds. The Laryngoscope, 135(4), 1511–1519. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.31908
- Satheesan, L., Shastri, U., Bajaj, G., & Kalaiah, M. K. (2025). Hearing Loss in Young and Middle-Aged Adults As a Modifiable Risk Factor for Late-Life Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Audiology Research, 15(6), 174. https://doi.org/10.3390/audiolres15060174
- Huang, A. R., Jiang, K., Lin, F. R., Deal, J. A., & Reed, N. S. (n.d.-b). Hearing Loss and Dementia Prevalence in Older Adults in the US. JAMA, 329(2), 171. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.20954
- Hearing aids slow cognitive decline in people at high risk. (2026, February 6). National Institutes of Health (NIH). https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/hearing-aids-slow-cognitive-decline-people-high-risk
- Armstrong, N. M., An, Y., Doshi, J., Erus, G., Ferrucci, L., Davatzikos, C., Deal, J. A., Lin, F. R., & Resnick, S. M. (2019b). Association of midlife hearing impairment with Late-Life Temporal lobe volume Loss. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, 145(9), 794. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2019.1610
- Shukla, A., Harper, M., Pedersen, E., Goman, A., Suen, J. J., Price, C., Applebaum, J., Hoyer, M., Lin, F. R., & Reed, N. S. (2020). Hearing Loss, Loneliness, and Social Isolation: A Systematic review. Otolaryngology, 162(5), 622–633. https://doi.org/10.1177/0194599820910377
- Guarnera, J., Yuen, E., & Macpherson, H. (n.d.). The Impact of Loneliness and Social Isolation on Cognitive Aging: A Narrative Review. Journal of Alzheimer S Disease Reports, 7(1), 699–714. https://doi.org/10.3233/adr-230011
Have a question or Comment?