Cerebral Activation and Bilateral Stimulation by Cochlear Implantation in Bilateral Deaf Adults

Cerebral Activation and Bilateral Stimulation by Cochlear Implantation in Bilateral Deaf Adults

The primary objective to this study is to describe bilateral auditory information processing in profoundly deaf patients with bilateral cochlear implants compared with normal hearing patients. Assumption used is that due to the central consequences of bilateral deafness on binaural auditory information central processing, time between activation of the two cochlear implants is a decisive factor in bilateral implantation compared to unilateral implantation

Inclusion criteria for patients:

- profoundly deaf patients with bilateral cochlear implants

Exclusion criteria for patients:

• post-operative complications
• incomplete surgical insertion of one of the cochlear implant
• age under 18 years
• non-compliant patient
• pregnant woman or woman with no efficient contraception method
• informed consent not signed
• no health insurance

Inclusion criteria for control

- normal hearing subjects

Exclusion criteria control

• normal hearing subject
• subject under 18 years old
• unilateral or bilateral hearing loss
• non-compliant subject
• pregnant woman or woman with no efficient contraception method
• informed consent not signed
• no health insurance