Temporal processing properties of the auditory system in cochlear implant users Description of the Project One of the major challenges in cochlear implants (CIs) is the large variability in CI patients'speech perception performance. Recent studies have shown significant correlations between this variability in speech performance and CI patients'psychophysically measured temporal processing. Besides these behavioral measures, the temporal properties of neural responses to repeated stimuli provide important information about the auditory system's processing of temporal cues in sounds. It is unclear how objectively measured neural responses are related to behavioral measures of temporal processing and speech perception. The goal of this project is to investigate the temporal properties of four types of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) in CI patients: 1) the electric compound action potential (ECAP), 2) the electric auditory brainstem response (EABR), 3) the electric late auditory evoked potential (ELAEP), and 4) the acoustic LAEP. We will compare neurophysiological and behavioral measures of temporal processing and speech perception abilities in CI users. We hypothesize that the temporal properties of the LAEP are better correlated to behavioral measures than those of the ECAP and the EABR. Theoretically, the results from the proposed study will provide important insights into the large variability in CI patients'speech understanding. Practically, the proposed research will help to identify appropriate electrophysiological measures that can be used to objectively assess CI benefits. This research may lead to future efforts toward improving the temporal representation of sounds in CI users.
This project examines how the auditory system of cochlear implant users processes information of sounds over time using electrophysiological and behavioral methods. It will provide important insights into why some patients receive greater benefits than others from implantation. It will also lead to the identification of the most promising electrophysiological tools that can be used to objectively measure outcomes of implantation or the efficacy of rehabilitation strategies.
| Zhang, Fawen; Benson, Chelsea; Fu, Qian-Jie (2013) Cortical encoding of pitch contour changes in cochlear implant users: a mismatch negativity study. Audiol Neurootol 18:275-88 |
| Zhang, Fawen; Benson, Chelsea; Murphy, Dora et al. (2013) Neural adaptation and behavioral measures of temporal processing and speech perception in cochlear implant recipients. PLoS One 8:e84631 |
| Zhang, Fawen; Hammer, Theresa; Banks, Holly-Lolan et al. (2011) Mismatch negativity and adaptation measures of the late auditory evoked potential in cochlear implant users. Hear Res 275:17-29 |
| Zhang, Fawen; Deshpande, Aniruddha; Benson, Chelsea et al. (2011) The adaptive pattern of the auditory N1 peak revealed by standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography. Brain Res 1400:42-52 |
