Voice analysis of postlingually deaf adults pre- and postcochlear implantation

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Speech and Hearing Sciences
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Postlingual deafness significantly impacts vocal production due to the loss of auditory feedback.
• Cochlear implantation (CI) restores some auditory function, but its effects on voice without specific rehabilitation are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in perceptual and acoustic vocal parameters in adults with severe to profound postlingual deafness after cochlear implantation (CI) without specific vocal rehabilitation.
• To determine if restoring auditory feedback alone is sufficient for vocal pattern adjustments.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, longitudinal study involving 40 postlingually deaf adults undergoing CI and a control group of 12 adults without CI.
• Voice recordings (read sentences and sustained vowel /a/) were collected before and 6-9 months after CI.
• Auditory and acoustic analyses were performed to assess vocal parameters.

Main Results:

• CI recipients showed significant reductions in overall vocal severity, strain, loudness, and instability.
• Acoustic analysis revealed significant reductions in fundamental frequency (F0) in males and F0 variability in both genders.
• The control group exhibited minimal changes, with some pitch and F0 alterations noted only in females.

Conclusions:

• Cochlear implantation, even without targeted voice therapy, leads to measurable improvements in vocal quality for postlingually deaf adults.
• The study demonstrates that restored auditory feedback can enable individuals to modify their vocal patterns, particularly in loudness and F0 variability in males.