Heather Bortfeld: Assessing developmental change in normal and impaired auditory processing

Dr. Heather Bortfeld discusses the use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to supplement behavioral measures of auditory processing in infants and young children.

Abstract

Much of what we know about auditory learning following cochlear implantation in young children is based on behavioral indicators that they are able to perceive sound. However, congenitally-deaf children have no concept of what sound is, and thus have highly variable behavioral responses when initially exposed to it. Therefore, there is a critical clinical need for an objective measure of whether or not a cochlear implant is providing appropriate auditory stimulation to a deaf child both immediately postimplantation and across the course of the first few years after the child begins using the device. Data from our own and other labs indicate that there are clear neural markers of auditory processing specific to language in normal hearing children, and that they are distinct from markers of other forms of auditory processing (e.g., music). In recent work, we have begun tracking changes in cortical activity in infants and young children in response to specific auditory stimulation following cochlear implantation. In this talk, I will review these and other data demonstrating how near-infrared spectroscopy can supplement behavioral measures of auditory processing in infants and young children.

Bio

Dr. Heather Bortfeld is an Associate Professor in the University of Connecticut's Dept. of Psychology where she directs the Husky Pup Language Lab. She is also a Senior Scientist at Haskins Laboratories. Her research focuses on developmental speech and language using NIRS (Near-Infrared Spectroscopy).