Pascale Sandmann1, Karsten Plotz2, Nadine Hauthal3, Maarten de Vos4, Rüdiger Schönfeld2, Stefan Debener5. 1. Central Auditory Diagnostics Lab, Department of Neurology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Neuropsychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", European Medical School, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany. Electronic address: Sandmann.Pascale@mh-hannover.de. 2. ENT Centre, Evangelical Hospital Oldenburg, 26122 Oldenburg, Germany. 3. Neuropsychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", European Medical School, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany. 4. Methods in Neurocognitive Psychology, Department of Psychology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", European Medical School, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany. 5. Neuropsychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", European Medical School, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany; Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Cochlear implants (CIs) can partially restore hearing, but the cortical changes underlying auditory rehabilitation are not well understood. METHODS: This prospective longitudinal study used electroencephalography (EEG) to examine the temporal dynamics of changes in the auditory cortex contralateral and ipsilateral to the CI. Postlingually deafened CI recipients (N=11; mean: 59years) performed an auditory frequency discrimination task after <1week, 8weeks, 15weeks, and 59weeks of CI use. RESULTS: The CI users revealed a remarkable improvement in auditory discrimination ability which was most pronounced over the first eight weeks of CI experience. At the same time, CI users developed N1 auditory event-related potentials (AEP) with significantly enhanced amplitude and decreased latency, both in the auditory cortex contralateral and ipsilateral to the CI. A relationship was found between the duration of deafness and the ipsilateral AEP latency. CONCLUSIONS: Postlingually deafened adult CI users show rapid adaptation of the bilateral auditory cortex. Cortical plasticity is limited after long duration of auditory deprivation. SIGNIFICANCE: The finding of rapid and limited cortical changes in adult CI recipients may be of clinical relevance and can help estimate the role of plasticity for therapeutic gain.
OBJECTIVE: Cochlear implants (CIs) can partially restore hearing, but the cortical changes underlying auditory rehabilitation are not well understood. METHODS: This prospective longitudinal study used electroencephalography (EEG) to examine the temporal dynamics of changes in the auditory cortex contralateral and ipsilateral to the CI. Postlingually deafened CI recipients (N=11; mean: 59years) performed an auditory frequency discrimination task after <1week, 8weeks, 15weeks, and 59weeks of CI use. RESULTS: The CI users revealed a remarkable improvement in auditory discrimination ability which was most pronounced over the first eight weeks of CI experience. At the same time, CI users developed N1 auditory event-related potentials (AEP) with significantly enhanced amplitude and decreased latency, both in the auditory cortex contralateral and ipsilateral to the CI. A relationship was found between the duration of deafness and the ipsilateral AEP latency. CONCLUSIONS: Postlingually deafened adult CI users show rapid adaptation of the bilateral auditory cortex. Cortical plasticity is limited after long duration of auditory deprivation. SIGNIFICANCE: The finding of rapid and limited cortical changes in adult CI recipients may be of clinical relevance and can help estimate the role of plasticity for therapeutic gain.
Authors: Ling-Chia Chen; Pascale Sandmann; Jeremy D Thorne; Martin G Bleichner; Stefan Debener Journal: Neural Plast Date: 2015-12-27 Impact factor: 3.599