title: Semantic Processing in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children: Large N400 Mismatch Effects in Brain Responses, Despite Poor Semantic Ability.
abstract: Difficulties in auditory and phonological processing affect semantic processing in speech comprehension for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. However, little is known about brain responses related to semantic processing in this group. We investigated event-related potentials (ERPs) in DHH children with cochlear implants (CIs) and/or hearing aids (HAs), and in normally hearing controls (NH). We used a semantic priming task with spoken word primes followed by picture targets. In both DHH children and controls, cortical response differences between matching and mismatching targets revealed a typical N400 effect associated with semantic processing. Children with CI had the largest mismatch response despite poor semantic abilities overall; Children with CI also had the largest ERP differentiation between mismatch types, with small effects in within-category mismatch trials (target from same category as prime) and large effects in between-category mismatch trials (where target is from a different category than prime), compared to matching trials. Children with NH and HA had similar responses to both mismatch types. While the large and differentiated ERP responses in the CI group were unexpected and should be interpreted with caution, the results could reflect less precision in semantic processing among children with CI, or a stronger reliance on predictive processing.
authors: Department of Linguistics, Stockholm UniversityStockholm, Sweden; Lund University Cognitive Science, Lund UniversityLund, Sweden.
authors: Petter
authors: P
authors: Kallioinen
authors: Department of Psychology, Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Jonas
authors: J
authors: Olofsson
authors: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Linkoping University Linkoping, Sweden.
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Nakeva von Mentzer
authors: Linneaus Centre, Cognition, Communication and Learning, Lund UniversityLund, Sweden; Department of Psychology, Lund UniversityLund, Sweden.
authors: Magnus
authors: M
authors: Lindgren
authors: Division of Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Lund UniversityLund, Sweden; Division of Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Skåne University HospitalLund, Sweden.
authors: Marianne
authors: M
authors: Ors
authors: Linneaus Centre, Cognition, Communication and Learning, Lund UniversityLund, Sweden; Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund UniversityLund, Sweden.
authors: Birgitta S
authors: BS
authors: Sahlén
authors: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Linkoping University Linkoping, Sweden.
authors: Björn
authors: B
authors: Lyxell
authors: Department of Hearing and Balance, Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet (CLINTEC) Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Elisabet
authors: E
authors: Engström
authors: Department of Hearing and Balance, Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet (CLINTEC) Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Inger
authors: I
authors: Uhlén
keywords: N400 evoked potential; children; cochlear implants; hearing aids; semantics