This study aimed to evaluate the differences between unilateral cochlear implant (CI) use and bimodal auditory stimulation regarding speech perception in noise and auditory reaction times.
Bimodal stimulation (cochlear implant plus contralateral hearing aid) may offer perceptual and reaction-time advantages over unilateral CI use; audiologists should weigh these findings when counselling candidates about bimodal fitting, pending review of the full paper's effect sizes and population details.
Clarifying the real-world benefits of bimodal versus unilateral CI use directly informs fitting decisions for the large population of CI users with residual contralateral hearing.
- 01Compared unilateral cochlear implant (CI) use against bimodal stimulation (CI + hearing aid) in the same subjects.
- 02Outcome measures included speech perception in noise and auditory reaction time.
- 03Published in European Archives of Otorhinolaryngology (doi: 10.1007/s00405-026-10463-x).
- 04Findings could influence candidacy and fitting recommendations for CI users with residual hearing.
- 05Evidence level is limited without full sample-size and design details, but journal-level peer review adds credibility.
Bimodal auditory stimulation differs from unilateral CI use in speech perception in noise and reaction time.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42472915
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00405-026-10463-x.
- Journal
- European Archives of Otorhinolaryngology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 2b
- Population
- Cochlear implant users with the ability to receive bimodal stimulation (CI + contralateral hearing aid)
- Intervention
- Bimodal auditory stimulation (cochlear implant plus contralateral hearing aid)
- Comparator
- Unilateral cochlear implant use alone
Primary outcomes
Speech perception in noise; Auditory reaction time