Deprivation-induced cortical reorganization in children with cochlear implants, International Journal of Audiology, Informa Healthcare

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Deprivation-induced cortical reorganization in children with cochlear implants

2007, Vol. 46, No. 9 , Pages 494-499 (doi:10.1080/14992020701524836)

Anu Sharma¹,² ^†, Phillip M. Gilley¹, Michael F. Dorman³ and Robert Baldwin²

¹Brain and Behavior Laboratory, Dept. of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, , USA

²Dept. of Otolaryngology, University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center, Denver, USA

³Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA

^†Correspondence: Anu Sharma, Dept. of Speech Language and Hearing Science, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2501 Kittredge Loop Drive, UCB 409, Boulder, CO, 80309-0409, USA anu.sharma@colorado.edu

A basic finding in developmental neurophysiology is that some areas of the cortex cortical areas will reorganize following a period of stimulus deprivation. In this review, we discuss mainly electroencephalography (EEG) studies of normal and deprivation-induced abnormal development of the central auditory pathways in children and in animal models.We describe age cut-off for sensitive periods for central auditory development in congenitally deaf children who are fitted with a cochlear implant. We speculate on mechanisms of decoupling and reorganization which may underlie the end of the sensitive period. Finally, we describe new magentoencephalography (MEG) evidence of somatosensory cross-modal plasticity following long-term auditory deprivation.