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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.

Authors

Carly A. Anderson

Diane S. Lazard



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 Mar 29, 2024
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

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