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Outer ear

The part of the ear that we are all most familiar with is known as the pinna. The pinna is the external ear you see on the side of your head. It is responsible for catching and funnelling sound toward the ear canal. The ear canal directs sound toward the middle ear. The outer ear is comprised of both the pinna and the ear canal.

Middle ear

The eardrum, or tympanic membrane, marks the beginning of the middle ear. The eardrum receives its name because, like a drum, it has a membrane that vibrates. It vibrates when soundwaves travel through the ear canal.

Behind the eardrum is a small pocket of air and three tiny bones known as the malleus, incus, and stapes – the smallest bones in your body. The vibrations from the eardrum cause these bones to vibrate. The middle ear consists of the eardrum, as well as the pocket of air that contains the three bones.

Inner ear

The inner ear is home to:

• Cochlea: This organ contains thousands of sensory hair cells that allow our ears to convert vibrations from the three middle ear bones into comprehensible sounds.
• Auditory Nerve: The auditory nerve transmits the electro chemical signals produced by the hair cells to the brain to be interpreted.
• Semi Circular Canals: These canals control our sense of balance.

Dementia is a condition that affects millions of people every year. Those who live with this illness experience a decline in mental ability, which can include memory loss, personality changes and other issues.

These changes affect people’s lives, their families and the community. Recent studies have found that hearing aids could help reduce the risk of people developing this devastating condition.

Doctor Frank Lin, an otologist, led a research team at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine that investigated hearing loss and dementia. His team found evidence of a causal link between the two; people with hearing impairments were at a greater risk of developing dementia over time. The evidence suggests that using hearing aids could delay or prevent the onset of dementia.

While these theories have not been tested, the research team did speculate on why hearing loss could lead to dementia. They suggest that straining to hear sounds over a long period of time can place stress on the brain, making it more vulnerable. Another possibility is that hearing loss causes social isolation, which is known for creating a higher risk of cognitive disorders.