Resilience and vulnerability of neural speech tracking after hearing restoration

Abstract The role of early auditory experience in the development of neural speech tracking remains an open question. To address this issue, we measured neural speech tracking in children with or without functional hearing during their first year of life after their hearing was restored with cochlea...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alessandra Federici, Marta Fantoni, Francesco Pavani, Giacomo Handjaras, Evgenia Bednaya, Alice Martinelli, Martina Berto, Franco Trabalzini, Emiliano Ricciardi, Elena Nava, Eva Orzan, Benedetta Bianchi, Davide Bottari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07788-4
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850029113255919616
author Alessandra Federici
Marta Fantoni
Francesco Pavani
Giacomo Handjaras
Evgenia Bednaya
Alice Martinelli
Martina Berto
Franco Trabalzini
Emiliano Ricciardi
Elena Nava
Eva Orzan
Benedetta Bianchi
Davide Bottari
author_facet Alessandra Federici
Marta Fantoni
Francesco Pavani
Giacomo Handjaras
Evgenia Bednaya
Alice Martinelli
Martina Berto
Franco Trabalzini
Emiliano Ricciardi
Elena Nava
Eva Orzan
Benedetta Bianchi
Davide Bottari
author_sort Alessandra Federici
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The role of early auditory experience in the development of neural speech tracking remains an open question. To address this issue, we measured neural speech tracking in children with or without functional hearing during their first year of life after their hearing was restored with cochlear implants (CIs), as well as in hearing controls (HC). Neural tracking in children with CIs is unaffected by the absence of perinatal auditory experience. CI users and HC exhibit a similar neural tracking magnitude at short timescales of brain activity. However, neural tracking is delayed in CI users, and its timing depends on the age of hearing restoration. Conversely, at longer timescales, speech tracking is dampened in participants using CIs, thereby accounting for their speech comprehension deficits. These findings highlight the resilience of sensory processing in speech tracking while also demonstrating the vulnerability of higher-level processing to the lack of early auditory experience.
format Article
id doaj-art-e0b43c6f20d14435aa7e11d755617da5
institution DOAJ
issn 2399-3642
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Communications Biology
spelling doaj-art-e0b43c6f20d14435aa7e11d755617da52025-08-20T02:59:37ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-03-018111210.1038/s42003-025-07788-4Resilience and vulnerability of neural speech tracking after hearing restorationAlessandra Federici0Marta Fantoni1Francesco Pavani2Giacomo Handjaras3Evgenia Bednaya4Alice Martinelli5Martina Berto6Franco Trabalzini7Emiliano Ricciardi8Elena Nava9Eva Orzan10Benedetta Bianchi11Davide Bottari12MoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies LuccaMoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies LuccaCentro Interdipartimentale Mente/Cervello—CIMEC, University of TrentoMoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies LuccaMoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies LuccaMoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies LuccaMoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies LuccaIRCCS Meyer, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria MeyerMoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies LuccaUniversity of Milano-BicoccaIRCCS Materno Infantile Burlo GarofoloIRCCS Meyer, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria MeyerMoMiLab, IMT School for Advanced Studies LuccaAbstract The role of early auditory experience in the development of neural speech tracking remains an open question. To address this issue, we measured neural speech tracking in children with or without functional hearing during their first year of life after their hearing was restored with cochlear implants (CIs), as well as in hearing controls (HC). Neural tracking in children with CIs is unaffected by the absence of perinatal auditory experience. CI users and HC exhibit a similar neural tracking magnitude at short timescales of brain activity. However, neural tracking is delayed in CI users, and its timing depends on the age of hearing restoration. Conversely, at longer timescales, speech tracking is dampened in participants using CIs, thereby accounting for their speech comprehension deficits. These findings highlight the resilience of sensory processing in speech tracking while also demonstrating the vulnerability of higher-level processing to the lack of early auditory experience.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07788-4
spellingShingle Alessandra Federici
Marta Fantoni
Francesco Pavani
Giacomo Handjaras
Evgenia Bednaya
Alice Martinelli
Martina Berto
Franco Trabalzini
Emiliano Ricciardi
Elena Nava
Eva Orzan
Benedetta Bianchi
Davide Bottari
Resilience and vulnerability of neural speech tracking after hearing restoration
Communications Biology
title Resilience and vulnerability of neural speech tracking after hearing restoration
title_full Resilience and vulnerability of neural speech tracking after hearing restoration
title_fullStr Resilience and vulnerability of neural speech tracking after hearing restoration
title_full_unstemmed Resilience and vulnerability of neural speech tracking after hearing restoration
title_short Resilience and vulnerability of neural speech tracking after hearing restoration
title_sort resilience and vulnerability of neural speech tracking after hearing restoration
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07788-4
work_keys_str_mv AT alessandrafederici resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT martafantoni resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT francescopavani resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT giacomohandjaras resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT evgeniabednaya resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT alicemartinelli resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT martinaberto resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT francotrabalzini resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT emilianoricciardi resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT elenanava resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT evaorzan resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT benedettabianchi resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration
AT davidebottari resilienceandvulnerabilityofneuralspeechtrackingafterhearingrestoration