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The Egyptian Journal of Otolaryngology
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Neural representation of speech in pediatric cochlear implant recipients

The Egyptian Journal of Otolaryngology volume 33, pages 535–545 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

Cochlear implantation (CI) is an established treatment for selected individuals with bilateral severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss who derive limited benefits from conventional hearing aids.

This work was designed to assess speech processing at the brainstem and the cortical level in children fitted with CIs after a variable duration of implantation and speech therapy compared with language acquisition.

Patients and methods

Thirty-one children between 4 and 5 years of age fitted with unilateral CIs of variable duration ranging from 1 to 3 years were assessed at 1 year (n=10), 2 years (n=12), and 3 years (n=9) after device activation. They underwent aided sound–field audiological evaluation, speech-evoked auditory brainstem response, and speech-evoked mismatch negativity test. The results were compared among the study groups and then correlated with language assessment and speech perception tests.

Results

Both speech-evoked auditory brainstem response and mismatch negativity test responses were significantly different among the three groups. Moreover, language development showed a significant difference among the three groups.

Conclusion

Children fitted with CI showed cortical and brainstem activation from the first year and these activity changes continue with CI use and both are highly correlated with receptive and expressive language. Thus, both electrophysiologic tests could be early and critical objective indicators of optimal speech encoding after programming of the CI device.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. E.N.T. Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Villa 4/7 E, Compound Calimera, Cairo, Shorouk City, Egypt

    Tayseer T. Abdel Rahman (MD) & Hesham A. A. Abdel Kader

  2. E.N.T. Department, Faculty of Medicine, Misr University of Science and Technology, Giza, Egypt

    Ihab M. Nada

  3. E.N.T. Department, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt

    Ahmed A. Abdel Monem

Authors
  1. Tayseer T. Abdel Rahman
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  2. Ihab M. Nada
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  3. Hesham A. A. Abdel Kader
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  4. Ahmed A. Abdel Monem
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tayseer T. Abdel Rahman.

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Rahman, T.T.A., Nada, I.M., Kader, H.A.A.A. et al. Neural representation of speech in pediatric cochlear implant recipients. Egypt J Otolaryngol 33, 535–545 (2017). https://doi.org/10.4103/1012-5574.206026

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1012-5574.206026

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