Cognitive performance on a neuropsychological battery with accommodations for hearing loss by listeners with cochlear implants

Abstract

A relationship between hearing loss and cognitive decline has emerged across multiple studies. Hearing aids and cochlear implants (CIs) may slow down the progression of cognitive decline. Cognitive factors may also influence performance with a CI. However, cognitive tests often assume perfect sensory perception, underestimating performance in individuals with hearing loss. The purpose of this study is to determine how CI listeners perform on a cognitive battery when accommodations for hearing loss are provided. Twenty-eight older adults with CIs completed a neuropsychological test battery created by an interdisciplinary team which assessed six cognitive domains and included accommodations for hearing loss. Participants also completed sentence recognition tests in quiet and in noise, and several subjective questionnaires. Preliminary data revealed that the performance of CI listeners with accommodations on tests of processing speed (p < 0.001) and visuospatial ability (p = 0.002) was significantly poorer compared to the normative sample. Performance on measures assessing memory, executive function, attention, and language was not significantly different. In conclusion, when neuropsychological test instructions and stimuli are adapted for hearing loss and functional speech performance is accounted for, individuals with CIs perform similarly to normal-hearing peers but not in all domains, suggesting a more accurate assessment of cognitive functioning.