The Acoustic Change Complex Compared to Hearing Performance in Unilaterally and Bilaterally Deaf Cochlear Implant Users.
Jan A A van Heteren, Bernard M D Vonck, Robert J Stokroos and 2 others
PMID 35696186WHAT IT FOUND
In cochlear implant users, a passive brain response to a large tone frequency change tracked speech-in-noise hearing and frequency discrimination.
It may help assess patients who cannot reliably complete behavioral tests.
Key findings
01An ACC waveform was recorded in 17 of 19 participants, and the largest frequency change produced the most successful recordings.
02The timing and size of the ACC response tracked speech-in-noise performance and frequency discrimination.
03The ACC did not differ significantly between bilaterally deaf and single-sided deaf implant ears, but within single-sided deaf participants the normal-hearing ear showed a stronger response than the implant ear.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study included 19 adults, and the single-sided deaf group had 6 people, so comparisons between groups were underpowered. Participants varied widely in age, cause of deafness, duration of deafness, and implant experience, so the results may not apply to every cochlear implant user. The ACC was easiest to record with a large frequency change; smaller changes often did not produce a clear response. Correlations were weaker or not significant when only cochlear implant ears were analysed, so the ACC may be less reliable for implant-only hearing. The implant ear and normal-hearing ear were tested with different stimulus delivery methods, so differences between them may partly reflect the setup.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Participants were reimbursed for travel expenses.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the ACC can be used as a clinical test. The paper reports correlations in 19 adults, and correlations were weaker or not significant when only cochlear implant ears were analysed.