Neuro-functional imaging and profound deafness

This paper deals with the subject of the place of neuro-functional imaging in cochlear implantation. Neuro-functional imaging is a means to assess the functioning of the brain in some normal or pathological conditions. Deafne ss is a model of sensorineural deprivation. Cochlear implantation offers to clinicians and neuroscientists a model for understanding influence of deaf ness on cerebral connectivity, and to assess mechanisms of plasticity when the auditory inputs are given again to a deaf cochlea. This paper proposes a brief review of the literature on cochlear implantation and neuro-functio nal imaging. Patients can be scanned pre- or post-operatively, thus differe nt questions can be investigated about neurobiology of the consequences of deafness and auditory rehabilitation by cochlear implantation, and about th e possible role of neuro-functional imaging in cochlear implant candidates to predict the future benefit of the implantation. (C) 1999 Published by El sevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.