Auditory rehabilitation with a cochlear implant improves cognitive performance

Introduction 

It is well known, that cochlear implantation has multifactorial benefits for patients, newly the topic cognition has come to the fore. This study evaluates the benefit of cochlear implantation on working memory and processing speed as well as speech perception.

Methods 

Postlingually deafend over 65-year-old patients (n=33) were included consecutively in this prospective study. The patients were tested preoperatively, one year and two years postoperatively with subtests of the Wechsler-Intelligence-Scale to test working memory and processing speed. Additionally health related quality of life was tested with the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaires (NCIQ) and speech perception with the Freiburg Monosyllable Test (FE).

Results 

33 patients (14 male;19 female) were included in this study. Preoperatively working memory was scaled as 93.45 ±13.15 and improved significantly during the 2-year-follow-up to 98.91  ± 13.03 (p=0,004). Processing speed ameliorated earlier after the 1-year-follow-up (95.82  ± 13.09 - > 101.77  ± 13.95; p=0.002) and even more after two years (102.13  ± 15.15). Speech perception (Monosyllables in quiet) improved from 5.76  ± 9.93 to 57.7  ± 20.27 (p<0.001). The NCIQ score improved from 50.1  ± 11.5 auf 53.2  ± 8.3 (p  = 0.249).

Discussion 

The signficant improvement of the working memory and processing speed during the 2-year-follow-up after CI suggests, that patients may train their fluid intelligence after and by auditory rehabilitation with CI, which is especially decreasing with age.

Publication History

Article published online:
24 May 2022