Emotional recognition of dynamic facial expressions before and after cochlear implantation in adults with progressive deafness.

Emotional recognition of dynamic facial expressions before and after cochlear implantation in adults with progressive deafness.
Hear Res. 2017 Aug 31;354:64-72
Authors: Ambert-Dahan E, Giraud AL, Mecheri H, Sterkers O, Mosnier I, Samson S
Abstract
Visual processing has been extensively explored in deaf subjects in the context of verbal communication, through the assessment of speech reading and sign language abilities. However, little is known about visual emotional processing in adult progressive deafness, and after cochlear implantation. The goal of our study was thus to assess the influence of acquired post-lingual progressive deafness on the recognition of dynamic facial emotions that were selected to express canonical fear, happiness, sadness, and anger. A total of 23 adults with post-lingual deafness separated into two groups; those assessed either before (n = 10) and those assessed after (n = 13) cochlear implantation (CI); and 13 normal hearing (NH) individuals participated in the current study. Participants were asked to rate the expression of the four cardinal emotions, and to evaluate both their emotional valence (unpleasant-pleasant) and arousal potential (relaxing-stimulating). We found that patients with deafness were impaired in the recognition of sad faces, and that patients equipped with a CI were additionally impaired in the recognition of happiness and fear (but not anger). Relative to controls, all patients wi...

Source: Hearing Research - August 31, 2017 Category: Audiology Authors: Ambert-Dahan E, Giraud AL, Mecheri H, Sterkers O, Mosnier I, Samson S Tags: Hear Res Source Type: research