A longitudinal study of functional responses in infants with CIs
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A prognostic tool for predicting functional outcomes after paediatric cochlear implantation: a feasibility study
IRAS ID
238975
Contact name
Douglas E H Hartley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 1 months, 7 days
Research summary
Research Summary
Children born profoundly deaf in the UK usually have their hearing partially restored with cochlear implants (CIs) in their first year of life. Research has shown that children who are implanted earlier develop significantly better speech and language skills. Although CIs have been very successful, some children do not hear well with them, which has a negative impact on their speech and language acquisition as well as their brain development. There is a need for an infant-friendly clinical tool which can predict how successful implantation will be, before or soon after the implantation surgery. In this study we will be using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS; a neuroimaging method which uses light) to measure brain responses to auditory and visual speech cues in infants prior to implantation and up to 12 months after implantation. At the final research appointment, a measure of the infants’ speech perception levels will be taken. We hope that comparing brain response information between infants with good and poor speech perception will enable us to create an objective measure to identify future individuals who may not receive much benefit from a CI. This will allow for better management of parents’ expectations and better allocation of surgical and rehabilitative resources.
Summary of Results
Thank you to study participants who took part in our research titled “A prognostic tool for predicting functional outcomes after paediatric cochlear implantation: a feasibility study”. This research was conducted by researchers at the University of Nottingham and the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre. This research was sponsored by The University of Nottingham. This research was funded by a PhD studentship from the NIHR and The University of Nottingham. This research began in 2018 and closed in 2021 and was conducted in Nottingham.
Cochlear implants are a prosthetic medical device given to individuals with severe to profound hearing loss, including babies who are born deaf. Whilst many patients do very well with their implants, unfortunately some struggle. The tests currently conducted in clinics are not suitable for use with babies and young children. Therefore, an objective test of speech understanding that is suitable for babies and young children is required.
This research aimed to understand whether patterns of brain activity are linked to long term speech understanding outcomes. Brain activity was measured by a brain imaging method called fNIRS.
Participants were aged between 6 and 36 months old, and all had qualified for cochlear implants. fNIRS testing occurred before participants received their implants. Due to covid-19 closures and restrictions, speech understanding scores were not able to be collected as planned. Instead, data relating to how well each patient was managing with their cochlear implants was used to represent cochlear implant outcomes.
The results of the study revealed no notable patterns of brain activity that were linked to cochlear implant outcomes in this group.
This research formed an important first step towards an objective test of speech understanding. The fNIRS was able to measure brain activity in this group. This demonstrates that it may be an appropriate basis for a future objective test of speech understanding.
If an objective test can be developed in the future, this would allow clinicians to offer personalised rehab and support early on. This could help improve cochlear implant outcomes for all.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0299
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jun 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion