Plasticity in bilateral superior temporal cortex: Effects of deafness and cochlear implantation on auditory and visual speech processing

Anderson, Carly A.; Lazard, Diane S.; Hartley, Douglas E.H.

Abstract

While many individuals can benefit substantially from cochlear implantation, the ability to perceive and understand auditory speech with a cochlear implant (CI) remains highly variable amongst adult recipients. Importantly, auditory performance with a CI cannot be reliably predicted based solely on routinely obtained information regarding clinical characteristics of the CI candidate. This review argues that central factors, notably cortical function and plasticity, should also be considered as important contributors to the observed individual variability in CI outcome. Superior temporal cortex (STC), including auditory association areas, plays a crucial role in the processing of auditory and visual speech information. The current review considers evidence of cortical plasticity within bilateral STC, and how these effects may explain variability in CI outcome. Furthermore, evidence of audio-visual interactions in temporal and occipital cortices is examined, and relation to CI outcome is discussed. To date, longitudinal examination of changes in cortical function and plasticity over the period of rehabilitation with a CI has been restricted by methodological challenges. The application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in studying cortical function in CI users is becoming increasingly recognised as a potential solution to these problems. Here we suggest that fNIRS offers a powerful neuroimaging tool to elucidate the relationship between audio-visual interactions, cortical plasticity during deafness and following cochlear implantation, and individual variability in auditory performance with a CI.

Citation

Anderson, C. A., Lazard, D. S., & Hartley, D. E. (2017). Plasticity in bilateral superior temporal cortex: Effects of deafness and cochlear implantation on auditory and visual speech processing. Hearing Research, 343, 138-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heares.2016.07.013

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 25, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jul 26, 2016
• Publication Date: 2017-01
• Deposit Date: Nov 30, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 30, 2016
• Journal: Hearing Research
• Print ISSN: 0378-5955
• Electronic ISSN: 1878-5891
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 343
• Pages: 138-149
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heares.2016.07.013
• Keywords: Audio-visual interactions; cortical plasticity; functional near-infrared spectroscopy; occipital cortex; speechreading; superior temporal cortex
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/799361
• Publisher URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378595516301174
• Contract Date: Nov 30, 2016