title: [Prediction of verbal and numerical comprehension in patients with cochlear implants].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cognitive abilities determine the outcome of cochlear implantation. Neuropsychological tests of intellectual, memory, attentional and emotional functions were applied pre-operatively in 33 deaf patients receiving a cochlear implant. The outcome of verbal and numerical comprehension was measured in a subgroup of 14 patients post-operatively and correlated with pre-operative neuropsychological performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neuropsychological performance was recorded using standardized tests for intellectual abilities (abbreviated Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale [WAIS], crystallized intelligence scale), memory performance (Benton Visual Retention Test), attentional functions (d2 letter-cancellation-test), reaction time (Vienna Reaction Test) and emotional state (personality inventories). Verbal and numerical comprehension was measured post-operatively following adaptation of the speech processor. Performance and comprehension data were correlated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cognitive performance parameters did not differ significantly from those of a healthy group. There was a correlation of r = +0.65 between numerical comprehension and the "mosaic-test", a subtest of the WAIS and of r = +0.78 between numerical comprehension and the crystallized intelligence scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-operative cognitive parameters may predict the outcome of cochlear implants.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Universitätsklinikum Kiel. kropp@med-psych.uni-kiel.de
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kropp
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Niederberger
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Gerber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003071:Cognition; D003638:Deafness / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011930:Reaction Time; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D013067:Speech Perception; D014888:Wechsler Scales