title: Rapid bilateral improvement in auditory cortex activity in postlingually deafened adults following cochlear implantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cochlear implants (CIs) can partially restore hearing, but the cortical changes underlying auditory rehabilitation are not well understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective longitudinal study used electroencephalography (EEG) to examine the temporal dynamics of changes in the auditory cortex contralateral and ipsilateral to the CI. Postlingually deafened CI recipients (N=11; mean: 59years) performed an auditory frequency discrimination task after <1week, 8weeks, 15weeks, and 59weeks of CI use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CI users revealed a remarkable improvement in auditory discrimination ability which was most pronounced over the first eight weeks of CI experience. At the same time, CI users developed N1 auditory event-related potentials (AEP) with significantly enhanced amplitude and decreased latency, both in the auditory cortex contralateral and ipsilateral to the CI. A relationship was found between the duration of deafness and the ipsilateral AEP latency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postlingually deafened adult CI users show rapid adaptation of the bilateral auditory cortex. Cortical plasticity is limited after long duration of auditory deprivation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding of rapid and limited cortical changes in adult CI recipients may be of clinical relevance and can help estimate the role of plasticity for therapeutic gain.
authors: Central Auditory Diagnostics Lab, Department of Neurology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Neuropsychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", European Medical School, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany. Electronic address: Sandmann.Pascale@mh-hannover.de.
authors: Pascale
authors: P
authors: Sandmann
authors: ENT Centre, Evangelical Hospital Oldenburg, 26122 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors: Karsten
authors: K
authors: Plotz
authors: Neuropsychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", European Medical School, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors: Nadine
authors: N
authors: Hauthal
authors: Methods in Neurocognitive Psychology, Department of Psychology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", European Medical School, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors: Maarten
authors: M
authors: de Vos
authors: ENT Centre, Evangelical Hospital Oldenburg, 26122 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors: Rüdiger
authors: R
authors: Schönfeld
authors: Neuropsychology Lab, Department of Psychology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", European Medical School, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany; Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Debener
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Aging; Auditory cortex; Cochlear implant; Event-related potentials; Plasticity; Rehabilitation