Study of How Listening Effort Affects Brain and Social Development in Mandarin-speaking Children Ages 6 to 18 Using Cochlear Implants or with Normal Hearing

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how listening effort affects brain development and daily life in school-aged children between 6 and 18 years old who use cochlear implants CIs for severe hearing loss. The study compares children with CIs to those with normal hearing to understand if extra mental effort to listen impacts their cognitive growth, social skills, and quality of life over three years. It also explores whether listening with two ears reduces this effort compared to one ear only. Participants are grouped as children with normal hearing, those with one cochlear implant, and those with two implants or one implant plus a hearing aid. During the study, children will complete hearing tests, wear non-invasive devices like a functional near-infrared spectroscopy fNIRS headset and eye-tracking glasses to measure brain activity and pupil changes while listening, and take age-appropriate memory and thinking tests. Parents or guardians will answer questions about social skills and daily communication. The same assessments will be repeated at one year and three years after the first visit. Children will continue their usual medical and rehabilitation care throughout the study. Researchers will monitor listening effort levels and cognitive function at baseline, one year, and three years. They will also assess speech understanding, listening-related fatigue, and social adaptability at these times. The study will enroll about 360 children at Guangdong Provincial Peoples Hospital, aiming to provide insights for better support and rehabilitation strategies for children with cochlear implants.

Effects of Binaural Hearing on Listening Effort and Cognitive Development in Mandarin-speaking Children With Cochlear Implants