Voice disorders may warn of cognitive decline

People with voice disorders face a higher risk of cognitive decline than others, according to a US study reported by ERR.

Researchers analysed health data from more than 830,000 patients, comparing people with voice disorders with those without them. They also examined people with hearing loss, which is considered the world’s largest modifiable risk factor for dementia.

The risk of cognitive decline was about 29 percent higher among people with voice disorders than in the healthy control group. Among those with voice disorders but no hearing loss, the risk was 58 percent higher. Hearing loss alone was associated with a 27 percent increase, while the highest risk was found in people with both voice and hearing disorders.

Researchers said social and neurological factors may help explain the link. People with voice problems may communicate less and take part less in social life, reducing everyday stimulation for the brain.

They also noted that the vagus nerve, which controls the vocal cords and larynx, is among the first areas where damage associated with some brain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, can accumulate. Speech and voice problems may therefore appear years before other symptoms. The findings were published in the Journal of Voice.