Cross-Modal Re-Organization in Clinical Populations with Hearing Loss

Overview

Journal Brain Sci

Publisher MDPI

Date 2016 Jan 29

PMID 26821049

Citations 22

Authors

Anu Sharma

Hannah Glick

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We review evidence for cross-modal cortical re-organization in clinical populations with hearing loss. Cross-modal plasticity refers to the ability for an intact sensory modality (e.g., vision or somatosensation) to recruit cortical brain regions from a deprived sensory modality (e.g., audition) to carry out sensory processing. We describe evidence for cross-modal changes in hearing loss across the age-spectrum and across different degrees of hearing impairment, including children with profound, bilateral deafness with cochlear implants, single-sided deafness before and after cochlear implantation, and adults with early-stage, mild-moderate, age-related hearing loss. Understanding cross-modal plasticity in the context of auditory deprivation, and the potential for reversal of these changes following intervention, may be vital in directing intervention and rehabilitation options for clinical populations with hearing loss.

Citing Articles

Effects of cochlear implantation on gait performance in adults with hearing impairment: A systematic review.

Rafoul B, Tzemah-Shahar R, Lubetzky A, Cohen-Vaizer M, Karawani H, Agmon M PLoS One. 2025; 20(2):e0319322.

PMID: 40019924 PMC: 11870346. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319322.

Auditory decision-making deficits after permanent noise-induced hearing loss.

Berns M, Nunez G, Zhang X, Chavan A, Zemlianova K, Mowery T Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):2104.

PMID: 39814750 PMC: 11736143. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-83374-8.

Alpha and theta oscillations on a visual strategic processing task in age-related hearing loss.

Shende S, Jones S, Mudar R Front Neurosci. 2024; 18:1382613.

PMID: 39086839 PMC: 11289776. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1382613.

Neurocognitive outcomes in young adults with cochlear implants: The role of early language access and crossmodal plasticity.

Kartheiser G, Cormier K, Bell-Souder D, Dye M, Sharma A Hear Res. 2024; 451:109074.

PMID: 39018768 PMC: 11878232. DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2024.109074.

Somatosensory gating is related to behavioral and verbal outcomes in children with mild-to-severe hearing loss.

Heinrichs-Graham E, Walker E, Lee W, Benavente A, McCreery R Cereb Cortex. 2022; 33(9):5228-5237.

PMID: 36310092 PMC: 10151872. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac412.

References

Ponton C, Eggermont J . Of kittens and kids: altered cortical maturation following profound deafness and cochlear implant use. Audiol Neurootol. 2002; 6(6):363-80. DOI: 10.1159/000046846. View

Kral A, Hartmann R, Tillein J, Heid S, Klinke R . Hearing after congenital deafness: central auditory plasticity and sensory deprivation. Cereb Cortex. 2002; 12(8):797-807. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/12.8.797. View

Finney E, Clementz B, Hickok G, Dobkins K . Visual stimuli activate auditory cortex in deaf subjects: evidence from MEG. Neuroreport. 2003; 14(11):1425-7. DOI: 10.1097/00001756-200308060-00004. View

Sandmann P, Plotz K, Hauthal N, De Vos M, Schonfeld R, Debener S . Rapid bilateral improvement in auditory cortex activity in postlingually deafened adults following cochlear implantation. Clin Neurophysiol. 2014; 126(3):594-607. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2014.06.029. View

Hauthal N, Sandmann P, Debener S, Thorne J . Visual movement perception in deaf and hearing individuals. Adv Cogn Psychol. 2013; 9(2):53-61. PMC: 3699779. DOI: 10.2478/v10053-008-0131-z. View

Wong P, Ettlinger M, Sheppard J, Gunasekera G, Dhar S . Neuroanatomical characteristics and speech perception in noise in older adults. Ear Hear. 2010; 31(4):471-9. PMC: 2919052. DOI: 10.1097/AUD.0b013e3181d709c2. View

Merabet L, Pascual-Leone A . Neural reorganization following sensory loss: the opportunity of change. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2009; 11(1):44-52. PMC: 3898172. DOI: 10.1038/nrn2758. View

Lin F, Metter E, OBrien R, Resnick S, Zonderman A, Ferrucci L . Hearing loss and incident dementia. Arch Neurol. 2011; 68(2):214-20. PMC: 3277836. DOI: 10.1001/archneurol.2010.362. View

Sharma A, Dorman M . Central auditory development in children with cochlear implants: clinical implications. Adv Otorhinolaryngol. 2006; 64:66-88. DOI: 10.1159/000094646. View

10.

Meredith M, Keniston L, Allman B . Multisensory dysfunction accompanies crossmodal plasticity following adult hearing impairment. Neuroscience. 2012; 214:136-48. PMC: 3403530. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.04.001. View

11.

Levanen S, Jousmaki V, Hari R . Vibration-induced auditory-cortex activation in a congenitally deaf adult. Curr Biol. 1998; 8(15):869-72. DOI: 10.1016/s0960-9822(07)00348-x. View

12.

Mosnier I, Bebear J, Marx M, Fraysse B, Truy E, Lina-Granade G . Improvement of cognitive function after cochlear implantation in elderly patients. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015; 141(5):442-50. DOI: 10.1001/jamaoto.2015.129. View

13.

Geers A . Factors influencing spoken language outcomes in children following early cochlear implantation. Adv Otorhinolaryngol. 2006; 64:50-65. DOI: 10.1159/000094644. View

14.

Rouger J, Lagleyre S, Fraysse B, Deneve S, Deguine O, Barone P . Evidence that cochlear-implanted deaf patients are better multisensory integrators. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007; 104(17):7295-300. PMC: 1855404. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0609419104. View

15.

Lin F . Hearing loss and cognition among older adults in the United States. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2011; 66(10):1131-6. PMC: 3172566. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glr115. View

16.

Lin F, Ferrucci L, An Y, Goh J, Doshi J, Metter E . Association of hearing impairment with brain volume changes in older adults. Neuroimage. 2014; 90:84-92. PMC: 3951583. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.12.059. View

17.

Cadieux J, Firszt J, Reeder R . Cochlear implantation in nontraditional candidates: preliminary results in adolescents with asymmetric hearing loss. Otol Neurotol. 2012; 34(3):408-15. PMC: 3600103. DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0b013e31827850b8. View

18.

Sandmann P, Dillier N, Eichele T, Meyer M, Kegel A, Pascual-Marqui R . Visual activation of auditory cortex reflects maladaptive plasticity in cochlear implant users. Brain. 2012; 135(Pt 2):555-68. DOI: 10.1093/brain/awr329. View

19.

Lin F, Thorpe R, Gordon-Salant S, Ferrucci L . Hearing loss prevalence and risk factors among older adults in the United States. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2011; 66(5):582-90. PMC: 3074958. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glr002. View

20.

Svirsky M, Teoh S, Neuburger H . Development of language and speech perception in congenitally, profoundly deaf children as a function of age at cochlear implantation. Audiol Neurootol. 2004; 9(4):224-33. DOI: 10.1159/000078392. View