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Electrically Evoked Stapedius Reflex Measurements in Cochlear Implantation and Its Application in the Postoperative Fitting Process
Published on: June 21, 2024
Cortical function in children receiving bilateral cochlear implants simultaneously or after a period of interimplant
Karen A Gordon1, Daniel D E Wong, Blake C Papsin
1Archie's Cochlear Implant Laboratory, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. karen.gordon@utoronto.ca
Summary
Bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) promote normal brain activity in children when implanted early with minimal delay. However, older children with longer delays show abnormal auditory pathway development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Audiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) are increasingly used in children.
- The impact of bilateral CIs on the development of auditory pathways is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if bilateral CIs promote normal bilateral auditory pathway function in children.
- To determine the effect of interimplant delay and age at implantation on auditory cortical activity.
Main Methods:
- Cortical responses were recorded using 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG).
- Participants included 2 normal-hearing individuals and 8 children with 3-4 years of bilateral CI experience.
- Beamformer analysis was used to assess auditory cortex activity.
Main Results:
- Children with minimal interimplant delay and early implantation showed normal cortical lateralization patterns.
- Children with longer delays and later implantation exhibited abnormal ipsilateral activity and atypical lateralization.
- These findings suggest a critical period for auditory pathway development with bilateral CIs.
Conclusions:
- Early bilateral CI implantation with minimal delay supports normal-like auditory cortical development.
- Delayed implantation in older children is associated with aberrant auditory pathway maturation.
- Optimizing timing and minimizing delay are crucial for maximizing benefits of bilateral CIs.