Changes in the functional connectivity of auditory and language-related brain regions in children with congenital severe sensorineural hearing loss: An fMRI study

Early hearing deprivation can affect the development of hearing, language, and vision. Thirty-four infants with congenital severe sensorineural hearing loss (CSSHL) and 20 age- and sex-matched subjects with normal hearing were recruited. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) of auditory and language-related brain areas was compared between infants with deafness and control subjects. Relative to subjects with normal hearing, infants with CSSHL had decreased ALFF values in the right Brodmann's area (BA) 22 region and in parts of several language-related regions. As the duration of hearing loss increased, the ALFF values in the left auditory and linguistic brain regions increased. These findings indicate that hearing deprivation affects the functional connectivity between auditory and language-related brain regions and the corresponding sensory and visual functional brain regions and that this functional connectivity decreases as the duration of hearing loss increases. Cochlear implantation performed after 24 months may limit the habilitation of hearing and speech functions due to functional reorganization of the auditory and linguistic brain areas over time.