Hearing and Cognition in Childhood

The human brain shows extensive development of the cerebral cortex after birth. This is extensively altered by the absence of auditory input: the development of cortical synapses in the auditory system is delayed and their degradation is increased. Recent work shows that the synapses responsible for cortico-cortical processing of stimuli and their embedding into multisensory interactions and cognition are particularly affected. Since the brain is heavily reciprocally interconnected, inborn deafness manifests not only in deficits in auditory processing, but also in cognitive (non-auditory) functions that are affected differently between individuals. It requires individualized approaches in therapy of deafness in childhood.

Automated summary

The human brain undergoes significant development of the cerebral cortex after birth, with alterations observed in the absence of auditory input. Recent studies have shown that the synapses responsible for processing stimuli and cognitive functions are particularly affected. As the brain is interconnected, congenital deafness not only affects auditory processing but also non-auditory cognition, requiring personalized approaches in childhood deafness therapy.