Computer-assisted reading intervention for children with sensorineural hearing loss using hearing aids: Effects on auditory event-related potentials and mismatch negativity

Elisabet Engström; Petter Kallioinen; Cecilia Nakeva von Mentzer; Magnus Lindgren; Marianne Ors; Birgitta Sahlén; Björn Lyxell; Inger Uhlén

doi:10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.11.005

Computer-assisted reading intervention for children with sensorineural hearing loss using hearing aids: Effects on auditory event-related potentials and mismatch negativity

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2019 Feb:117:17-25. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.11.005. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

Authors

Elisabet Engström¹, Petter Kallioinen², Cecilia Nakeva von Mentzer³, Magnus Lindgren⁴, Marianne Ors⁵, Birgitta Sahlén⁶, Björn Lyxell⁷, Inger Uhlén⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Otoneurology, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: elisabet.engstrom@sll.se.
² Department of Linguistics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: petter.kallioinen@ling.su.se.
³ Department of Behavorial Sciences and Learning, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: cecilia.nakeva.vonmentzer@neuro.uu.se.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden; Cognition, Communication & Learning, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: magnus.lindgren@psy.lu.se.
⁵ Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Skåne University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden; Cognition, Communication & Learning, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: marianne.ors@skane.se.
⁶ Lund University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Logopedics, Phoniatrics & Audiology, Lasarettsgatan 21, 22 185 Lund, Sweden; Cognition, Communication & Learning, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: birgitta.sahlen@med.lu.se.
⁷ Department of Behavorial Sciences and Learning, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: bjorn.lyxell@liu.se.
⁸ Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Otoneurology, Karolinska University Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: inger.uhlen@sll.se.

PMID: 30579075
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2018.11.005

Abstract

Objectives: The primary aim was to investigate whether computer-assisted reading intervention somehow can affect event-related potentials (ERP) and mismatch negativity (MMN) in hearing impaired (HI) children with hearing aids (HAs) and normal hearing (NH) children.

Methods: The study included 15 HI children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) using bilateral HAs and 14 NH children as a reference group; all children between the ages of 5 and 8. A multi-feature MMN-paradigm, Optimum-1, with a standard stimulus alternating with 5 different deviants was used. ERPs were recorded pre and post intervention, i.e. one month of repeatedly computer-assisted training (GraphoGame). MMN was calculated from the average ERP of each deviant minus standard. Data were based on samples within a specific time interval, 80-224 ms, and repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze possible interactions.

Results: There was a significant difference between groups before training, though, the mean obligatory responses or MMN was not statistically significantly different before versus after training, neither among the NH nor the HI children. Further, the HI children did generally achieve lower levels in GraphoGame compared to the NH children. Altogether, our findings indicate differences between the groups and that training may affect the neurophysiological processing in the brain, gaining the HI children. Both MMN and positive mismatch response (pMMR) were seen among both the HA and NH children, irrespective to deviant type. Individually, changes of the MMN and pMMR after training seem unpredictable.

Conclusion: There are statistically significant differences in both the obligatory responses in ERP and the MMNs between the NH and HI groups before the computer-assisted training. Though, these differences disappear after the intervention. This suggests possible training effects regarding the central auditory processing among the HI children.

Keywords: Children; Computer-assisted reading intervention; Event-related potentials; Hearing aid; Hearing impairment; Mismatch negativity.

MeSH terms

Brain / physiopathology
Child
Child, Preschool
Computer-Assisted Instruction / methods*
Evoked Potentials*
Evoked Potentials, Auditory*
Female
Hearing Aids
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / physiopathology*
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / rehabilitation*
Humans
Male
Phonetics
Reading*
Video Games