Semantic processing of single sided deaf cochlear implant users – understanding how the higher order processing facilitates speech intelligibility

A cochlear implant (CI) for patients with single-sided deafness (SSD) is the only treatment that can potentially restore hearing in the impaired ear. There is an abundance of literature that reports significant improvement in speech in noise intelligibility and sound localisation highlighting that CIscan restores binaural hearing. However, there is little information investigating the mechanism by which the brain uses the CI signal to facilitate speech in noise intelligibility. This thesis identified that in noise, SSD CI users rely heavily on the CI to make meaning of speech, which is reflected by differences in neural and behavioral responses.