Review of recent work on spatial hearing skills in children with bilateral cochlear implants. 2011

Ruth Y Litovsky
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA. Litovsky@waisman.wisc.edu

OBJECTIVE Review of recent studies on spatial-hearing abilities in children who use bilateral cochlear implants (BiCIs); compare performance of children who use BiCIs with children who have normal hearing. METHODS Results from recent studies are reviewed in two categories. First, studies measured spatial hearing by using sound localization or identification methods, thereby focusing on localization accuracy. Second, studies that measured the ability of children to discriminate between sound source positions in the horizontal plane, thereby focusing on localization acuity where performance was quantified using the minimum audible angle (MAA). RESULTS Children with BiCIs have localization errors that vary widely. There is evidence that for many children errors are smaller when using two vs. one implant. In the bilateral condition, some children's performance falls within the range of errors seen in children with normal hearing (less than 30° root mean square), but most children have errors that are significantly greater than those of children with normal hearing. On MAA tasks, performance is generally significantly better (lower MAAs) when children are tested in the bilateral listening mode than in the unilateral listening mode. However, MAAs are generally higher than those measured in children with normal hearing. CONCLUSIONS Results are discussed in the context of auditory experience, and also with regard to the lack of availability of binaural cues presented through the CI speech processors when the children are using their processors in everyday listening situations. The potential roles of interaural timing vs. level cues are discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003054 Cochlear Implants Electronic hearing devices typically used for patients with normal outer and middle ear function, but defective inner ear function. In the COCHLEA, the hair cells (HAIR CELLS, VESTIBULAR) may be absent or damaged but there are residual nerve fibers. The device electrically stimulates the COCHLEAR NERVE to create sound sensation. Auditory Prosthesis,Cochlear Prosthesis,Implants, Cochlear,Auditory Prostheses,Cochlear Implant,Cochlear Prostheses,Implant, Cochlear,Prostheses, Auditory,Prostheses, Cochlear,Prosthesis, Auditory,Prosthesis, Cochlear
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000367 Age Factors Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time. Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age
D013017 Sound Localization Ability to determine the specific location of a sound source. Auditory Localization,Auditory Localizations,Localization, Auditory,Localization, Sound,Localizations, Auditory,Localizations, Sound,Sound Localizations
D016022 Case-Control Studies Comparisons that start with the identification of persons with the disease or outcome of interest and a control (comparison, referent) group without the disease or outcome of interest. The relationship of an attribute is examined by comparing both groups with regard to the frequency or levels of outcome over time. Case-Base Studies,Case-Comparison Studies,Case-Referent Studies,Matched Case-Control Studies,Nested Case-Control Studies,Case Control Studies,Case-Compeer Studies,Case-Referrent Studies,Case Base Studies,Case Comparison Studies,Case Control Study,Case Referent Studies,Case Referrent Studies,Case-Comparison Study,Case-Control Studies, Matched,Case-Control Studies, Nested,Case-Control Study,Case-Control Study, Matched,Case-Control Study, Nested,Case-Referent Study,Case-Referrent Study,Matched Case Control Studies,Matched Case-Control Study,Nested Case Control Studies,Nested Case-Control Study,Studies, Case Control,Studies, Case-Base,Studies, Case-Comparison,Studies, Case-Compeer,Studies, Case-Control,Studies, Case-Referent,Studies, Case-Referrent,Studies, Matched Case-Control,Studies, Nested Case-Control,Study, Case Control,Study, Case-Comparison,Study, Case-Control,Study, Case-Referent,Study, Case-Referrent,Study, Matched Case-Control,Study, Nested Case-Control
D019929 Cochlear Implantation Surgical insertion of an electronic hearing device (COCHLEAR IMPLANTS) with electrodes to the COCHLEAR NERVE in the inner ear to create sound sensation in patients with residual nerve fibers. Cochlear Prosthesis Implantation,Cochlear Implantations,Cochlear Prosthesis Implantations,Implantation, Cochlear,Implantation, Cochlear Prosthesis,Implantations, Cochlear,Implantations, Cochlear Prosthesis,Prosthesis Implantation, Cochlear,Prosthesis Implantations, Cochlear
D034381 Hearing Loss A general term for the complete or partial loss of the ability to hear from one or both ears. Deafness, Transitory,Hearing Impairment,Hearing Loss, Transitory,Hypoacusis,Transitory Hearing Loss,Deafnesses, Transitory,Hypoacuses,Loss, Hearing,Loss, Transitory Hearing,Transitory Deafness,Transitory Deafnesses,Transitory Hearing Losses

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