Abstract
Introduction Unilateral hearing loss (UHL) represents a particular model for investigating the functional auditory plasticity in humans. Normally, monaural stimulation produces a normal pattern of a contralateral dominance. With UHL, this pattern changes. Objective The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of UHL side and age at onset on auditory processing. Design Mismatch negativity (MMN) was recorded in response to speech and tone stimuli. Study sample This study included two groups: the control (50 bilateral normal hearing) and study (206 UHL patients) groups. This group was further classified according to UHL side and age at UHL onset. Results In controls, higher speech-evoked MMN amplitude was recorded in the right ear. The study group showed impaired speech-evoked MMN in either left or right UHL patients, especially in early onset UHL patients. Tone-evoked MMN was not affected in controls or UHL patients. Conclusion Cortical reorganization induced by UHL occurs mainly in patients with left-side affection. Speech processing is affected in UHL irrespective of the affected side, especially in early onset patients.
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