Temporal processing in postlingual adult users of cochlear implant

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Postlingual adults demonstrate impressive performance in speech recognition in silence after cochlear implant (CI) surgery. However, problems in central hearing abilities remain, which complicates understanding in certain situations, such as in competitive listening and in the perception of suprasegmental aspects of speech. OBJECTIVE: To assess the temporal processing abilities in postlingual adult users of CI. METHODS: Cross-sectional and descriptive study, with a non-probabilistic sample for convenience. The population was divided into two groups. The study group consisted of 12 postlingual adult users of cochlear implants and the control group consisted of 12 adults with normal hearing, matched for age and gender with the control group. The Frequency Pattern Test and the Gaps in Noise test were selected to assess temporal processing. Free-field testing was applied at 50 dB SL. RESULTS: Adult users of cochlear implant attained a mean temporal threshold of 16.33 ms and scored 47.7% in the pattern frequency test; the difference was statistically significant in comparison with the control group. CONCLUSION: It was verified that postlingual adult users of cochlear implants have significant alterations in temporal processing abilities in comparison to adults with normal hearing.