Visual Cortical Processing in Children with Early Bilateral Cochlear Implants: A VEP Analysis
Background/Objectives: Cochlear implantation is the primary treatment for severe-to-profound hearing loss, yet outcomes vary significantly among recipients. While visual–auditory cross-modal reorganization has been identified as a contributing factor to this variability, its impact in early-implante...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Children |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/3/278 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850089871190786048 |
|---|---|
| author | Ola Badarni-Zahalka Ornella Dakwar-Kawar Cahtia Adelman Salma Khoury-Shoufani Josef Attias |
| author_facet | Ola Badarni-Zahalka Ornella Dakwar-Kawar Cahtia Adelman Salma Khoury-Shoufani Josef Attias |
| author_sort | Ola Badarni-Zahalka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background/Objectives: Cochlear implantation is the primary treatment for severe-to-profound hearing loss, yet outcomes vary significantly among recipients. While visual–auditory cross-modal reorganization has been identified as a contributing factor to this variability, its impact in early-implanted children remains unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated visual processing and its relationship with auditory outcomes in children who received early bilateral cochlear implants. Methods: To examine potential cross-modal reorganization, we recorded visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in response to pattern-reversal stimuli in 25 children with cochlear implants (CIs) (mean implantation age: 1.44 years) and 28 age-matched normal-hearing (NH) controls. Analysis focused on both the occipital region of interest (ROI: O1, OZ, and O2 electrode sites) and right temporal ROI, examining VEP components and their correlation with speech perception outcomes. Results: Unlike previous studies in later-implanted children, the overall occipital ROI showed no significant differences between groups. However, the left occipital electrode (O1) revealed reduced P1 amplitudes and delayed N1 latencies in CI users. Importantly, O1 N1 latency negatively correlated with speech-in-noise performance (r = −0.318; <i>p</i> = 0.02). The right temporal region showed no significant differences in VEP N1 between groups and no correlation with speech performance in CI users. Conclusions: Early bilateral cochlear implantation appears to preserve global visual processing, suggesting minimal maladaptive reorganization. However, subtle alterations in left occipital visual processing may influence auditory outcomes, highlighting the importance of early intervention and the complex nature of sensory integration in this population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-620f6d1fa5af4a0194de89b850a62627 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj-art-620f6d1fa5af4a0194de89b850a626272025-08-20T02:42:40ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672025-02-0112327810.3390/children12030278Visual Cortical Processing in Children with Early Bilateral Cochlear Implants: A VEP AnalysisOla Badarni-Zahalka0Ornella Dakwar-Kawar1Cahtia Adelman2Salma Khoury-Shoufani3Josef Attias4Department of Communication, Sciences and Disorders, Haifa University, Haifa 3498838, IsraelSchool of Occupational Therapy, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190501, IsraelSpeech & Hearing Department, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem 9112001, IsraelSpeech & Hearing Department, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem 9112001, IsraelDepartment of Communication, Sciences and Disorders, Haifa University, Haifa 3498838, IsraelBackground/Objectives: Cochlear implantation is the primary treatment for severe-to-profound hearing loss, yet outcomes vary significantly among recipients. While visual–auditory cross-modal reorganization has been identified as a contributing factor to this variability, its impact in early-implanted children remains unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated visual processing and its relationship with auditory outcomes in children who received early bilateral cochlear implants. Methods: To examine potential cross-modal reorganization, we recorded visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in response to pattern-reversal stimuli in 25 children with cochlear implants (CIs) (mean implantation age: 1.44 years) and 28 age-matched normal-hearing (NH) controls. Analysis focused on both the occipital region of interest (ROI: O1, OZ, and O2 electrode sites) and right temporal ROI, examining VEP components and their correlation with speech perception outcomes. Results: Unlike previous studies in later-implanted children, the overall occipital ROI showed no significant differences between groups. However, the left occipital electrode (O1) revealed reduced P1 amplitudes and delayed N1 latencies in CI users. Importantly, O1 N1 latency negatively correlated with speech-in-noise performance (r = −0.318; <i>p</i> = 0.02). The right temporal region showed no significant differences in VEP N1 between groups and no correlation with speech performance in CI users. Conclusions: Early bilateral cochlear implantation appears to preserve global visual processing, suggesting minimal maladaptive reorganization. However, subtle alterations in left occipital visual processing may influence auditory outcomes, highlighting the importance of early intervention and the complex nature of sensory integration in this population.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/3/278cochlear implantsvisual evoked potentialscross-modal plasticityspeech perceptionearly intervention |
| spellingShingle | Ola Badarni-Zahalka Ornella Dakwar-Kawar Cahtia Adelman Salma Khoury-Shoufani Josef Attias Visual Cortical Processing in Children with Early Bilateral Cochlear Implants: A VEP Analysis Children cochlear implants visual evoked potentials cross-modal plasticity speech perception early intervention |
| title | Visual Cortical Processing in Children with Early Bilateral Cochlear Implants: A VEP Analysis |
| title_full | Visual Cortical Processing in Children with Early Bilateral Cochlear Implants: A VEP Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Visual Cortical Processing in Children with Early Bilateral Cochlear Implants: A VEP Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Visual Cortical Processing in Children with Early Bilateral Cochlear Implants: A VEP Analysis |
| title_short | Visual Cortical Processing in Children with Early Bilateral Cochlear Implants: A VEP Analysis |
| title_sort | visual cortical processing in children with early bilateral cochlear implants a vep analysis |
| topic | cochlear implants visual evoked potentials cross-modal plasticity speech perception early intervention |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/3/278 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT olabadarnizahalka visualcorticalprocessinginchildrenwithearlybilateralcochlearimplantsavepanalysis AT ornelladakwarkawar visualcorticalprocessinginchildrenwithearlybilateralcochlearimplantsavepanalysis AT cahtiaadelman visualcorticalprocessinginchildrenwithearlybilateralcochlearimplantsavepanalysis AT salmakhouryshoufani visualcorticalprocessinginchildrenwithearlybilateralcochlearimplantsavepanalysis AT josefattias visualcorticalprocessinginchildrenwithearlybilateralcochlearimplantsavepanalysis |