Center for Hearing Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska.
Ear Hear. 2018 Mar/Apr;39(2):318-325. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000488.
This preliminary study aimed (1) to assess longitudinal changes in electrically evoked auditory event-related potentials (eERPs) in children with auditory brainstem implants (ABIs) and (2) to explore whether these changes could be accounted for by maturation in the central auditory system of these patients.
Study participants included 5 children (S1 to S5) with an ABI in the affected ear. The stimulus was a train of electrical pulses delivered to individual ABI electrodes via a research interface. For each subject, the eERP was repeatedly measured in multiple test sessions scheduled over up to 41 months after initial device activation. Longitudinal changes in eERPs recorded for each ABI electrode were evaluated using intraclass correlation tests for each subject.
eERPs recorded in S1 showed notable morphological changes for five ABI electrodes over 41 months. In parallel, signs or symptoms of nonauditory stimulation elicited by these electrodes were observed or reported at 41 months. eERPs could not be observed in S2 after 9 months of ABI use but were recorded at 12 months after initial stimulation. Repeatable eERPs were recorded in S3 in the first 9 months. However, these responses were either absent or showed remarkable morphological changes at 30 months. Longitudinal changes in eERP waveform morphology recorded in S4 and S5 were also observed.
eERP responses in children with ABIs could change over a long period of time. Maturation of the central auditory system could not fully account for these observed changes. Children with ABIs need to be closely monitored for potential changes in auditory perception and unfavorable nonauditory sensations. Neuroimaging correlates are needed to better understand the emergence of nonauditory stimulation over time in these children.
本初步研究旨在（1）评估人工耳蜗植入儿童的电诱发听觉事件相关电位（eERPs）的纵向变化，（2）探讨这些变化是否可以归因于患者中枢听觉系统的成熟。
研究参与者包括 5 名患有单侧人工耳蜗植入的儿童（S1 至 S5）。刺激是通过研究接口传递到单个人工耳蜗植入电极的电脉冲序列。对于每个受试者，在初始设备激活后长达 41 个月的多个测试会话中重复测量 eERP。使用每个受试者的组内相关系数测试评估为每个人工耳蜗植入电极记录的 eERP 的纵向变化。
在 41 个月的时间内，S1 记录的 eERPs 在五个人工耳蜗植入电极上显示出明显的形态变化。同时，在 41 个月时观察到或报告了这些电极引发的非听觉刺激的迹象或症状。在人工耳蜗植入使用 9 个月后，S2 无法记录到 eERPs，但在初始刺激后 12 个月记录到。在最初的 9 个月内，S3 记录到可重复的 eERPs。然而，在 30 个月时，这些反应要么不存在，要么表现出明显的形态变化。S4 和 S5 记录的 eERP 波形形态的纵向变化也被观察到。
人工耳蜗植入儿童的 eERP 反应可能会在很长一段时间内发生变化。中枢听觉系统的成熟并不能完全解释这些观察到的变化。需要密切监测人工耳蜗植入儿童的听觉感知和不良非听觉感觉的潜在变化。需要神经影像学相关性来更好地理解这些儿童随时间出现非听觉刺激的情况。
