Using a multi‐feature paradigm to measure mismatch responses to minimal sound contrasts in children with cochlear implants and hearing aids

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of psychology 2017-10, Vol.58 (5), p.409-421
• Main Authors: Uhlén, Inger, Engström, Elisabet, Kallioinen, Petter, Nakeva von Mentzer, Cecilia, Lyxell, Björn, Sahlén, Birgitta, Lindgren, Magnus, Ors, Marianne
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation; Auditory Perception - physiology; Brain - physiopathology; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Cochlea; cochlear implant; Cochlear Implants; Electroencephalography; Evoked Potentials, Auditory; Female; Frequency; hearing aid; Hearing aids; hearing impairment; Hearing loss; Hearing Loss - physiopathology; Hearing Tests - methods; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Information processing; Male; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Mismatch negativity; Mismatch negativity (MMN); multi-feature paradigm; Psychology; Psykologi; Samhällsvetenskap; Social Sciences; Speech; Transplants & implants
• ISSN: 0036-5564; 1467-9450; 1467-9450
• DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12391

Our aim was to explore whether a multi‐feature paradigm (Optimum‐1) for eliciting mismatch negativity (MMN) would objectively capture difficulties in perceiving small sound contrasts in children with hearing impairment (HI) listening through their hearing aids (HAs) and/or cochlear implants (CIs). Children aged 5–7 years with HAs, CIs and children with normal hearing (NH) were tested in a free‐field setting using a multi‐feature paradigm with deviations in pitch, intensity, gap, duration, and location. There were significant mismatch responses across all subjects that were positive (p‐MMR) for the gap and pitch deviants (F(1,43) = 5.17, p = 0.028 and F(1,43) = 6.56, p = 0.014, respectively) and negative (MMN) for the duration deviant (F(1,43) = 4.74, p = 0.035). Only the intensity deviant showed a significant group interaction with MMN in the HA group and p‐MMR in the CI group (F(2,43) = 3.40, p = 0.043). The p‐MMR correlated negatively with age, with the strongest correlation in the NH subjects. In the CI group, the late discriminative negativity (LDN) was replaced by a late positivity with a significant group interaction for the location deviant. Children with severe HI can be assessed through their hearing device with a fast multi‐feature paradigm. For further studies a multi‐feature paradigm including more complex speech sounds may better capture variation in auditory processing in these children.