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324
Comparing Bilateral and Single-Sided Deaf Cochlear Implant Recipients in a Novel Speech-in-Noise and Localization
Obada Abdulrazzak1,2, Nadine I Ibrahim1, Gerilyn Jones1
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Summary
Bilateral cochlear implant (BiCI) users show varied performance in sound localization and speech-in-noise (SIN) tasks compared to single-sided deaf cochlear implant (SSDCI) users and normal hearing controls. BiCI users adapt with head movements, though SSDCI users excel in SIN understanding.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Cochlear implants (CIs) aim to restore hearing, but performance varies between bilateral (BiCI) and single-sided deafness (SSDCI) users.
- Compensatory head movements are a potential strategy for CIs users to enhance auditory perception.
- Understanding adaptive behaviors is crucial for optimizing CI outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how BiCI users employ head movements for sound localization and speech-in-noise (SIN) performance.
- To compare BiCI users with SSDCI users and normal hearing controls.
- To analyze the relationship between head movement patterns, localization accuracy, and SIN performance.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, nonrandomized study involving BiCI users, SSDCI users, and normal hearing controls.
- Participants completed sound localization and SIN tests in a semianechoic chamber with controlled signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs).
- An electromagnetic head-tracking system recorded head movements during auditory tasks.
Main Results:
- BiCI users demonstrated less accurate sound localization with higher SNR variability than controls, but better than SSDCI users.
- SSDCI users consistently outperformed BiCI users in SIN tasks, with performance comparable to controls.
- BiCI users initiated head movements more promptly than SSDCI users, and both CI groups exhibited greater head displacement than controls, with BiCI patterns resembling controls at favorable SNRs.
Conclusions:
- No single group performed worst across both localization and SIN tasks, indicating task-specific challenges for CI users.
- While SSDCI users excel in SIN, BiCI users show advantages in sound localization, challenging the notion that preserved unilateral hearing guarantees universal performance benefits.
- The study highlights the complex adaptive strategies employed by CI users to navigate auditory challenges and optimize binaural hearing.
