Executive Functions and Deafness: Results in a Group of Cochlear Implanted Children

Andrea De Giacomo,Alessandra Murri,Francesca Giagnotti,Emilia Matera,Francesco Pompamea,Roberto Bartoli,Nicola Quaranta,Francesco Craig

doi:10.3390/audiolres11040063

Andrea De Giacomo, Alessandra Murri + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/audiolres11040063

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Abstract

Objects: This study aimed to evaluate the Executive Function (EF) domains in a group of profoundly deaf children treated with cochlear implant (CI) in comparison to normal hearing (NH) children. The secondary aim was to evaluate the influence exerted by the age at cochlear implant activation on EFs. Materials and Methods: 32 children were enrolled into two groups: group A of 17 CI users with a mean age of 8.78 years and group B of 15 NH subjects with a mean age of 7.99 years (SD + 2.3). All subjects were tested using the following tests: the subtests for working memory of the neuropsychological evaluation battery for the developmental age (Batteria di valutazione neuropsicologica per l’età evolutive), inhibition and control of the impulsive response—CAF, and the tower of London test. Results: No children with CIs scored within the normal range in the tests administered for the evaluation of EF domains. The same scores were significantly lower when compared with scores obtained by NH children. Children with younger age at CI activation showed better executive performances in planning, working memory (backward digit span), and cognitive flexibility (categorical fluency). Conclusion: The results of this study highlight that cochlear implantation plays a role in improving hearing and consequently influences the development of EFs in deaf children.

Highlights

Childhood severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) is a serious worldwide health problem since it compromises the normal development of verbal language, social integration, and school learning
This study aimed to evaluate the Executive Function (EF) domains, including working memory, cognitive flexibility, and planning in a group of children affected by prelingual SSHL and treated with
All cochlear implant (CI) children scored on the Category of Auditory Performance-2 (CAP-2) [14] from 5 to 7

Summary

Introduction

Childhood severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) is a serious worldwide health problem since it compromises the normal development of verbal language, social integration, and school learning. The electric stimulation provided by cochlear implants (CIs) has enabled speech perception and the development of spoken language skills in many severe to profoundly deaf children [1,2,3]. Deprivation in early auditory experiences influences the development of other neurobiological and cognitive functions extending beyond spoken language skills [3,4]. Auditory experiences provide temporal patterns to the developing brain, which may be important for the development of sequential processing abilities such as sustained attention and memory for serially presented items [5]. Sustained attention and sequential memory processes are critical developmental building blocks for executive functions (EFs) a large and complex group of high neurocognitive processes involved in the search for strategies to achieve goals and modify/monitor behaviors based on environmental variations [6]. EFs are defined as an “umbrella construct” which includes several cognitive processes such as controlled attention, planning, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition/impulse control processes [7]

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