How adults' brains adapt after getting a cochlear implant
Neuroplasticity and early cochlear implant use
['FUNDING_CAREER'] · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · NIH-11365239
This project looks at how adults' brains change in the weeks after receiving a cochlear implant to help hearing and speech understanding.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_CAREER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11365239 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would be followed as an adult who has just started using a cochlear implant to see how your hearing and speech understanding evolve in the first days to months after activation. The team will combine behavioral hearing tests and noninvasive brain measures in people with more detailed invasive or cellular experiments in rodents to link patient changes to underlying brain mechanisms. The research mixes real-world listening experiences with lab recordings to see which brain changes make implant sound more meaningful. Findings aim to guide rehabilitation approaches and what clinicians tell patients about expected progress.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults (21+) who have severe or profound hearing loss and are receiving or have very recently activated a cochlear implant and can attend follow-up visits.
Not a fit: People without cochlear implants, children, or those whose hearing loss is mild or managed without implants are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better rehabilitation strategies, clearer counseling about expected progress, and new targets to speed or improve speech outcomes after cochlear implantation.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows adult brain plasticity can improve implant outcomes, but combining early human use data with animal mechanisms to guide rehab is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: HIGHT, ARIEL EDWARD — NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- Study coordinator: HIGHT, ARIEL EDWARD
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.