Executive Functioning Skills in Long-Term Users of Cochlear Implants: A Case Control Study

• Published in: Journal of pediatric psychology Vol. 38; no. 8; pp. 902 - 914
• Main Authors: KRONENBERGER, William G, PISONI, David B, HENNING, Shirley C, COLSON, Bethany G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Atlanta, GA Oxford University Press 01.09.2013
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child clinical studies; Cochlear Implants - psychology; Cognition Disorders - etiology; Cognition Disorders - physiopathology; Deafness - complications; Deafness - physiopathology; Ear, auditive nerve, cochleovestibular tract, facial nerve: diseases, semeiology; Executive Function - physiology; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Non tumoral diseases; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Regular; Time Factors; Young Adult; Evaluation; Executive function; Cognitive ability; Auditory disorder; neuropsychology; Cognition; cognitive assessment; Case control study; Long term; deafness and hearing loss; Hearing loss; Cochlear implant; ENT disease; Neuropsychologia
• ISSN: 0146-8693; 1465-735X
• DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jst034

To investigate differences in executive functioning between deaf children with cochlear implants (CIs) and normal-hearing (NH) peers. The cognitive effects of auditory deprivation in childhood may extend beyond speech-language skills to more domain-general areas including executive functioning. Executive functioning skills in a sample of 53 prelingually deaf children, adolescents, and young adults who received CIs prior to age 7 years and who had used their CIs for ≥7 years were compared with age- and nonverbal IQ-matched NH peers and with scale norms. Despite having above average nonverbal IQ, the CI sample scored lower than the NH sample and test norms on several measures of short-term/working memory, fluency-speed, and inhibition-concentration. Executive functioning was unrelated to most demographic and hearing history characteristics. Prelingual deafness and long-term use of CIs was associated with increased risk of weaknesses in executive functioning.