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Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
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Fitting prelingually deafened adult cochlear implant users based on electrode discrimination performance
Joke A Debruyne1,2, Tom Francart3, A Miranda L Janssen1,4
1a Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery , Maastricht University Medical Center , Maastricht , The Netherlands.
International Journal of Audiology
|October 21, 2016
Summary
Prelingually deafened cochlear implant (CI) users struggle to distinguish between adjacent electrodes. Deactivating non-discriminable electrodes did not improve auditory performance and worsened subjective experience.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Cochlear implant (CI) technology aims to restore hearing in individuals with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss.
- Electrode discrimination is crucial for effective CI sound processing, but its limits in prelingually deafened users are not fully understood.
- Optimizing CI performance may involve refining electrode usage based on individual perceptual capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if prelingually deafened cochlear implant (CI) users have imperfect electrode discrimination.
- To determine if deactivating non-discriminable electrodes enhances auditory performance.
- To evaluate the impact of electrode map optimization on speech understanding, listening effort, and subjective experience.
Main Methods:
- Determined electrode discrimination difference limens for all electrodes in six prelingually deafened, late-implanted adult Nucleus CI users.
- Compared a standard (basic) electrode map with an experimental map using only discriminable electrodes.
- Assessed speech understanding (quiet/noise), listening effort, spectral ripple discrimination, and subjective appreciation.
Main Results:
- Electrode discrimination limens varied significantly, with higher limens for basal electrodes, indicating imperfect discrimination.
- No significant differences in objective auditory performance were observed between the basic and experimental electrode maps.
- Subjective appreciation of sound was significantly poorer with the experimental map compared to the basic map.
Conclusions:
- Prelingually deafened CI users exhibit limitations in discriminating between adjacent electrodes.
- Deactivating non-discriminable electrodes did not yield improvements in objective auditory performance.
- Factors like reduced electrode maxima, adaptation challenges, and electrode placement may explain the lack of benefit from the experimental map.
Keywords:
Cochlear implantCochlear implant fittingElectrode discriminationPrelingual deafnessPsychoacousticsSpectral ripple discriminationSpeech perception
