Improvement of cognitive function after cochlear implantation in elderly patients.

IMPORTANCE: The association between hearing impairment and cognitive decline has been established; however, the effect of cochlear implantation on cognition in profoundly deaf elderly patients is not known. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between cognitive function and hearing restoration with a cochlear implant in elderly patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective longitudinal study performed in 10 tertiary referral centers between September 1, 2006, and June 30, 2009. The participants included 94 patients aged 65 to 85 years with profound, postlingual hearing loss who were evaluated before, 6 months after, and 12 months after cochlear implantation. INTERVENTIONS: Cochlear implantation and aural rehabilitation program. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Speech perception was measured using disyllabic word recognition tests in quiet and in noise settings. Cognitive function was assessed using a battery of 6 tests evaluating attention, memory, orientation, executive function, mental flexibility, and fluency (Mini-Mental State Examination, 5-word test, clock-drawing test, verbal fluency test, d2 test of attention, and Trail Making test parts A and B). Quality of life and depression were evaluated using the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire and the Geriatric Depression Scale-4. RESULTS: Cochlear implantation led to improvements in speech perception in quiet and in noise (at 6 months: in quiet, 42% score increase [95% CI, 35%-49%; P < .001]; in noise, at signal to noise ratio [SNR] +15 dB, 44% [95% CI, 36%-52%, P < .001], at SNR +10 dB, 37% [95% CI 30%-44%; P < .001], and at SNR +5 dB, 27% [95% CI, 20%-33%; P < .001]), quality of life, and Geriatric Depression Scale-4 scores (76% of patients gave responses indicating no depression at 12 months after implantation vs 59% before implantation; P = .02). Before cochlear implantation, 44% of the patients (40 of 91) had abnormal scores on 2 or 3 of 6 cognition tests. One year after implant, 81% of the subgroup (30 of 37) showed improved global cognitive function (no or 1 abnormal test score). Improved mean scores in all cognitive domains were observed as early as 6 months after cochlear implantation. Cognitive performance remained stable in the remaining 19% of the participants (7 of 37). Among patients with the best cognitive performance before implantation (ie, no or 1 abnormal cognitive test score), 24% (12 of 50) displayed a slight decline in cognitive performance. Multivariate analysis to examine the association between cognitive abilities before implantation and the variability in cochlear implant outcomes demonstrated a significant effect only between long-term memory and speech perception in noise at 12 months (SNR +15 dB, P = .01; SNR +10 dB, P < .001; and SNR +5 dB, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Rehabilitation of hearing communication through cochlear implantation in elderly patients results in improvements in speech perception and cognitive abilities and positively influences their social activity and quality of life. Further research is needed to assess the long-term effect of cochlear implantation on cognitive decline.

The French digit triplet test: a hearing screening tool for speech intelligibility in noise.

A French speech intelligibility screening test in noise that applies digit triplets as stimuli has been developed and evaluated for both telephone and broadband headphone use. After optimizing the speech material based on the intelligibility of the individual digits, norms for normal-hearing subjects were established. speech reception thresholds (SRTs) of -6.4 +/- 0.4 and -10.5 +/- 0.3 dB SNR, and slopes of 17.1 and 27.1 %/dB were obtained for telephone and broadband headphone presentation, respectively. The French digit triplet test by telephone was then implemented as an automatic self-screening test by home telephone, and further evaluated in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. A test-retest variability of 0.7 dB was found and the correlation between SRT and pure-tone average (PTA(0.5,1,2,4)) was 0.77. One month after launching the test, 20,000 calls were registered. It can be concluded that both versions of the newly developed test have steep slopes and small SRT differences across normal-hearing listeners. The screening test by telephone is highly reliable and proves to fulfill the need for an easily accessible and objective hearing screening.

[Hearing loss in adults]. / Surdité de l'adulte, réparer ou compenser.

The management of hearing loss in adults depends of etiology and its severity. It can be as simple as treating an external otitis, removing an impacted cerumen or a more complex one such as a surgery for otosclerosis. The hearing loss is managed mainly by new advances in hearing aids technology and implantable hearing devices which include BAHA, middle ear implant and cochlear implants. The research is focused on developing new molecules for intracochlear drug therapy to treat noise induced hearing loss, drug ototoxicity as well as hearing loss related to cochlear implant insertion trauma. Antioxidant molecules, molecules against apoptosis are at this time the most promising molecules than need further investigations.

Auditory rehabilitation with cochlear implantation in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2.

CONCLUSIONS: New technological developments will most probably improve the efficiency of auditory brainstem implantation (ABI). Meanwhile, cochlear implantation in patients who have undergone prior reductive surgery, and who have maintained a positive electric stimulation, is an excellent alternative for rehabilitating complete and bilateral hearing loss in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). Auditory results are far better than those reported after ABI. Long-term follow-up will be necessary to demonstrate the validity of this strategy. OBJECTIVES: ABIs restore some degree of auditory perception in NF2 patients with bilateral and complete hearing loss, but results are often inadequate for maintaining social and professional activities. The aim of this study was to report the results of auditory rehabilitation by cochlear implantation in three cases of NF2. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study undertaken in a tertiary referral center. The first patient had undergone previous surgery for a left grade III vestibular schwannoma (VS) and then underwent irradiation for a right grade I VS. Two years after irradiation, he suddenly lost his remaining hearing. Electric promontory stimulation was positive and cochlear implantation was performed. The second patient had undergone surgery for a left grade III VS and followed for a right grade II VS. She suddenly lost her remaining hearing. A cytoreductive surgery was performed and the cochlear nerve was preserved. Postoperative electric stimulation was positive. She was then implanted with a cochlear implant. The third patient presented with a right stage III and a left stage I VS. She first underwent a subtotal removal of the left VS with immediate cochlear implantation. She then underwent removal of the right VS stage III with no possible preservation of the cochlear nerve. RESULTS: All three patients had excellent postoperative speech performance and were back to work 3 months after implantation. Imaging follow-ups at 4, 2, and 1 year, respectively, do not show any evolution of the tumor.

Benefit of the Vibrant Soundbridge device in patients implanted for 5 to 8 years.

OBJECTIVES: To assess audiological performance, satisfaction rate, and side effects of 100 patients who have been using the middle ear implant Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) for 5 to 8 yr when compared with data collected from 3 to 18 mo postsurgery. DESIGN: Audiological testing and subjective evaluation using self-assessment scales were performed in 77 out of the 100 patients using the VSB for 5 to 8 years. The results were compared to data collected 3 months (audiological testing) and 18 months (self-assessment scales) after surgery. Twenty-three patients have not been evaluated for different reported reasons. RESULTS: Pure-tone hearing thresholds decreased similarly in both implanted and contralateral ears. The satisfaction ratings and the functional gain provided by the VSB remained stable. Speech comprehension in quiet conditions without the VSB decreased from 56 to 37% in 5 to 8 yr, but an 81% score was achieved with the VSB. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the performance of the VSB does not deteriorate for more than 5 yr, without adverse effect. These results confirm the safety and the effectiveness of the VSB with a long-term follow-up.