Dr Dona Jayakody
Head of Brain and Hearing, Ear Science Institute Australia
Research Overview
Hearing loss is a chronic health condition that significantly impacts healthy ageing in older adults.
Dr Jayakody's research findings from the general Australian population suggest that untreated HL in older adults increases the risk of cognitive impairment, dementia, depression, anxiety and stress, loneliness and frailty. If untreated, hearing loss could impede healthy ageing in older adults.
Dr Jayakody's research focus on (i) identification of the causal association between hearing loss and dementia, (ii) development of hearing biomarkers that would help to identify those at risk of dementia, and (iii) investigation of the impact of hearing loss rehabilitation, using hearing aids and cochlear implants, on cognitive function of Indigenous and non-Indigenous older Australians.