title: Cross-Modal and Intra-Modal Characteristics of Visual Function and Speech Perception Performance in Postlingually Deafened, Cochlear Implant Users.
abstract: Evidence of visual-auditory cross-modal plasticity in deaf individuals has been widely reported. Superior visual abilities of deaf individuals have been shown to result in enhanced reactivity to visual events and/or enhanced peripheral spatial attention. The goal of this study was to investigate the association between visual-auditory cross-modal plasticity and speech perception in post-lingually deafened, adult cochlear implant (CI) users. Post-lingually deafened adults with CIs (N = 14) and a group of normal hearing, adult controls (N = 12) participated in this study. The CI participants were divided into a good performer group (good CI, N = 7) and a poor performer group (poor CI, N = 7) based on word recognition scores. Visual evoked potentials (VEP) were recorded from the temporal and occipital cortex to assess reactivity. Visual field (VF) testing was used to assess spatial attention and Goldmann perimetry measures were analyzed to identify differences across groups in the VF. The association of the amplitude of the P1 VEP response over the right temporal or occipital cortex among three groups (control, good CI, poor CI) was analyzed. In addition, the association between VF by different stimuli and word perception score was evaluated. The P1 VEP amplitude recorded from the right temporal cortex was larger in the group of poorly performing CI users than the group of good performers. The P1 amplitude recorded from electrodes near the occipital cortex was smaller for the poor performing group. P1 VEP amplitude in right temporal lobe was negatively correlated with speech perception outcomes for the CI participants (r = -0.736, P = 0.003). However, P1 VEP amplitude measures recorded from near the occipital cortex had a positive correlation with speech perception outcome in the CI participants (r = 0.775, P = 0.001). In VF analysis, CI users showed narrowed central VF (VF to low intensity stimuli). However, their far peripheral VF (VF to high intensity stimuli) was not different from the controls. In addition, the extent of their central VF was positively correlated with speech perception outcome (r = 0.669, P = 0.009). Persistent visual activation in right temporal cortex even after CI causes negative effect on outcome in post-lingual deaf adults. We interpret these results to suggest that insufficient intra-modal (visual) compensation by the occipital cortex may cause negative effects on outcome. Based on our results, it appears that a narrowed central VF could help identify CI users with poor outcomes with their device.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Min-Beom
authors: MB
authors: Kim
authors: Hearing Laboratory, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Hyun-Yong
authors: HY
authors: Shim
authors: Hearing Laboratory, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Sun Hwa
authors: SH
authors: Jin
authors: Hearing Laboratory, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Soojin
authors: S
authors: Kang
authors: School of Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, Korea.
authors: Jihwan
authors: J
authors: Woo
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jong Chul
authors: JC
authors: Han
authors: Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, Korea.
authors: Ji Young
authors: JY
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors: Martha
authors: M
authors: Kim
authors: Hearing Laboratory, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Yang-Sun
authors: YS
authors: Cho
authors: Hearing Laboratory, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Il Joon
authors: IJ
authors: Moon
authors: Hearing Laboratory, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Sung Hwa
authors: SH
authors: Hong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003638:Deafness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult