The Ear Is Connected to the Brain: Some New Directions in the Study of Children with Cochlear Implants at Indiana University

Abstract

Since the early 1980s, the DeVault Otologic Research Laboratory at the Indiana University School of Medicine has been on the forefront of research on speech and language outcomes in children with cochlear implants. This paper highlights work over the last decade that has moved beyond collecting speech and language outcome measures to focus more on investigating the underlying cognitive, social, and linguistic skills that predict speech and language outcomes. This recent work reflects our growing appreciation that early auditory deprivation can affect more than hearing and speech perception. The new directions include research on attention to speech, word learning, phonological development, social development, and neurocognitive processes. We have also expanded our subject populations to include infants and children with additional disabilities

Early predictors of phonological and morphosyntactic skills in second graders with cochlear implants

“…Fortunately, the recent implementation of mandatory hearing screening for all newborns, rather than only those with risk factors for hearing loss, has meant these children are now often identified shortly after birth, so treatment can begin early. Evidence from several investigators has reliably shown that the early initiation of both medical interventions, especially cochlear implantation (CI), and behavioral interventions can substantially ameliorate delays in language learning imposed by congenital hearing loss (Geers & Nicholas, 2013; Houston et al 2012; Moeller, 2000; Ramos-Macías, Borkoski-Barreiro, Falcón-González, & Plasencia, 2014; Robbins, Osberger, Miyamoto, & Kessler, 1995). Nonetheless, mean performance of these children remains below that of children with normal hearing (NH) (Geers & Hayes, 2011; Spencer & Tomblin, 2009; Tobey et al, 2013) and gaps exist in our understanding of why that is.…”

Deaf Children With Cochlear Implants Do Not Appear to Use Sentence Context to Help Recognize Spoken Words

“…Recent findings suggest that deaf children with CIs have difficulties with domain-general cognitive control processes (Beer, Kronenberger, & Pisoni, 2011; Beer, Pisoni, & Kronenberger, 2009; Houston et al, 2012; Pisoni, Conway, Kronenberger, Henning, & Anaya, 2010). It is therefore possible that delays with domain-general cognitive control abilities—that is, cognitive control abilities that cut across different cognitive functions and processes rather than being specific to language—negatively affect the ability of deaf children with CIs to successfully use sentence context to help understand spoken language, over and above any difficulties they may have due to lack of experience hearing and using spoken language itself.…”

Does Bilateral Experience Lead to Improved Spatial Unmasking of Speech in Children Who Use Bilateral Cochlear Implants?

“…Also important to consider are potential differences in the neural health of surviving auditory nerve fibers in the two ears. It is also likely that, while the auditory measures are stable over repeated trials, the task engaged specific aspects of executive function that contributed to the results, including individual differences in the ability to inhibit interfering information, switch and/or sustain attention on the task, or other factors such as working memory[32, 33]. The data in this paper do not provide sufficient evidence to directly answer these questions.…”