SeeingEars

The auditory cortex (AC) of congenitally deaf individuals can exhibit considerable plasticity and be recruited to process visual (and other sensorial) information. The fact that visual information is processed in the AC of the congenitally deaf leaves several important open questions that we will address in this project. In Aim 1 we will test how visual information reaches the AC of the congenitally deaf. In Aim 2 we will explore the functional organization of the neuroplastically-changed AC. In Aim 3 we will assess how these neuroplastic changes affect compensatory behavior under deafness. In Aim 4 we will investigate how these changes hamper auditory restoration efforts. Finally, in Aim 5 we will look at whether these neuroplastic changes recede with the use of CIs. This project will contribute greatly to our understanding of the auditory system under congenital deafness, and contribute to the improvement of programs for restoring auditory function in the congenitally deaf.