Relationship Between Chronic Noise Exposure, Cognitive Impairment, and Degenerative Dementia: Update on the Experimental and Epidemiological Evidence and Prospects for Further Research

Article type: Review Article

Authors: Huang, Lei^{a; b} | Zhang, Yang^{c; d} | Wang, Yongwei^b | Lan, Yajia^{a; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China | [b] Department of Occupational Hazard Assessment, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China | [c] Department of Periodical Press and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China | [d] Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Yajia Lan, PhD, Department of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, No.16, Section 3, South Renmin Road, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China. Tel.: +86 28 85501072; E-mail: lanyajia@sina.com.

Abstract: Degenerative dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, is characterized by the gradual deterioration of cognitive function. The events that trigger and promote degenerative dementia are not clear, and treatment options are limited. Experimental and epidemiological studies have revealed chronic noise exposure (CNE) as a potential risk factor for cognitive impairment and degenerative dementia. Experimental studies have indicated that long-term exposure to noise might accelerate cognitive dysfunction, amyloid-β deposition, and tau hyperphosphorylation in different brain regions such as the hippocampus and cortex. Epidemiological studies are increasingly examining the possible association between external noise exposure and dementia. In this review, we sought to construct a comprehensive summary of the relationship between CNE, cognitive dysfunction, and degenerative dementia. We also present the limitations of existing evidence as a guide regarding important prospects for future research.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid-β, cognition, dementia, neuropathology, noise, tau

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-201037

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 79, no. 4, pp. 1409-1427, 2021