The Role of Auditory Deprivation in Verbal and Nonverbal Working Memory: Insights From School-Age Children With Cochlear Implants
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: PURPOSE: This study investigated the verbal (VWM) and nonverbal working memory (NWM) of school-aged children with cochlear implants compared to their typically hearing peers, in order to determine how early auditory deprivation and the reduced auditory input characteristic of cochlear implants are related to storage and processing functions of working memory. METHOD: A total of 58 children took part: 35 with cochlear implants and 23 with typical hearing, matched by age and gender. VWM was measured using the digit span task, while NWM was measured using the Corsi Block Tapping task. RESULTS: The results showed that children with cochlear implants had a significantly lower storage and processing capacity of working memory for verbal information compared to their typically hearing peers. However, no significant differences were found between the two groups in NWM. Within-group analyses showed that both children with cochlear implants and children with typical hearing processed less information than they could store and that they processed nonverbal information better than verbal information. Correlation analyses showed that the relationships between verbal storage and other components of working memory were significantly weaker in children with cochlear implants, suggesting that they may rely on alternative nonverbal strategies. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the sensory theory that attributes the VWM deficit in children with cochlear implants to a spectrally reduced auditory input and not to a general cognitive deficit as proposed by the cognitive theory. These findings emphasize the need for early implantation and interventions that focus on the development of VWM strategies while considering the preserved potential for nonverbal cognitive processing.
Institution: University of Zagreb
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7127319454