title: Binaural stimulation through cochlear implants in postlingual deafness: a positron emission tomographic study of word recognition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bilateral stimulation through cochlear implants induces a brain activity pattern closer to the normal one than unilateral stimulation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Although it has been shown that speech comprehension through bilateral cochlear implants leads to better performances than after unilateral implantation, the existence of neural underpinnings of this improvement remains to be studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an H2O positron emission tomographic study of word recognition in 5 patients with bilateral cochlear implants and 5 normal-hearing controls. Subjects had to distinguish words from nonwords in binaural and monaural conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no overactivation in patients for binaural stimulation, with a hypoactivation in the right temporal cortex. For monaural stimulation, patients demonstrated more activation contralaterally to the stimulation side in the posterior temporal cortex and in the cerebellum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Binaural stimulation through cochlear implants is advantageous compared with the monaural at the neurofunctional level because the pattern of brain activity is closer to the normal one.
authors.affiliation: Université Toulouse, CerCo, Université Paul Sabatier, France.
authors.forename: Kuzma
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strelnikov
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rouger
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eter
authors.forename: Sebastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lagleyre
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fraysse
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Demonet
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Deguine
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology