Related Experiment Videos
Auditory cortex activity changes in long-term sensorineural deprivation during crude cochlear electrical stimulation:
E Truy1, M P Deiber, L Cinotti
1Département d'Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie, de Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale et de Phoniatrie, Hopital Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France.
Hearing Research
|June 1, 1995
Summary
This study shows that auditory pathways remain functional in prelingually deaf individuals, even after long-term auditory deprivation. Electrical cochlear stimulation can activate the auditory cortex, regardless of perceived sound.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Prelingual deafness significantly impacts auditory pathway development and function.
- Understanding the plasticity and responsiveness of the auditory cortex in deaf individuals is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional state of auditory pathways in individuals with long-term prelingual deafness.
- To assess the cerebral regional activity (rA) in response to electrical cochlear stimulation.
- To evaluate the utility of positron emission tomography (PET) for screening these patients.
Main Methods:
- Studied three right-handed volunteers with 16-26 years of prelingual deafness.
- Measured cerebral regional activity (rA) using 15O-labeled water and PET during rest and electrical cochlear stimulation.
- Used crude constant current squared pulses for cochlear stimulation, a method common in cochlear implant screening.
Main Results:
- All subjects showed an increment in rA within the auditory cortex during stimulation.
- Activation patterns varied, with ipsilateral response in one subject and contralateral in two.
- Two subjects reported subjective auditory sensations; one did not, yet all showed cortical activation.
Conclusions:
- Auditory pathways can remain functional for extended periods after prelingual auditory deprivation.
- The auditory cortex can be activated by electrical cochlear stimulation even without conscious perception of sound.
- PET imaging may not offer significant advantages for screening long-term prelingually deaf patients.