Deprivation-induced cortical reorganization in children with cochlear implants.
A basic finding in developmental neurophysiology is that some areas of the cortex cortical areas will reorganize following a period of stimulus deprivation. In this review, we discuss mainly electroencephalography (EEG) studies of normal and deprivation-induced abnormal development of the central auditory pathways in children and in animal models. We describe age cut-off for sensitive periods for central auditory development in congenitally deaf children who are fitted with a cochlear implant. We speculate on mechanisms of decoupling and reorganization which may underlie the end of the sensitive period. Finally, we describe new magentoencephalography (MEG) evidence of somatosensory cross-modal plasticity following long-term auditory deprivation.
Sharma
Anu
A
Brain and Behavior Laboratory, Dept. of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, CO 80309-0409, USA. anu.sharma@colorado.edu
Gilley
Phillip M
PM
Dorman
Michael F
MF
Baldwin
Robert
R
D000818:Animals; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003638:Deafness / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D012683:Sensory Deprivation / Q000502:physiology