Late cochlear implant in a prelingually hearing impaired subject: electrophysiological and audiometric improvement over time

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate electrophysiological and audiological findings in a prelingually late implanted patient, in two consecutive follow-ups: 3 months after cochlear implant (CI) activation and 1 year later.

Methods: As an electrophysiological evaluation, the event-related potentials (ERPs) N100, N200-P300 were used. The P300 wave is an objective measure of the central auditory function. It reflects the cortical activity involved during attention, discrimination, memory, integration and decision-making skills and it is a measure of speech discrimination and linguistic recognition. Pure tone audiometry, speech perception tests and electrophysiological examination were performed at 3 and 15 months post-CI activation.

Result and Discussion: The N100 and N200 latencies were very similar in both follow-ups, whereas P300 latency decreased significantly 15 months postactivation, reaching a value close to normality. This finding was related to an increase in audiometric and speech performances.

Conclusion: A significant improvment in electrophysiological, audiometric and speech performances was observed during the second follow-up, underlining the great importance of the duration of device use, in spite of a late implant surgery. These simultaneous improvements can be related to a general increase of superior cognitive functions.

Keywords:

• Cochlear implant
• P300
• ERPs
• hearing loss
• deafness

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.