Auditory System: Central Pathway Plasticity: Central Pathway Plasticity

The response characteristics of neurons in central auditory system structures, and the functional organization of those structures, are modified in response to changes in the organism's sensory experience. Some forms of this plasticity are restricted to critical periods during development, but others can occur throughout the life span. Prominent examples of developmental and adult plasticity produced by a variety of manipulations of auditory input or of its significance for the organism are reviewed. These forms of auditory plasticity underlie various forms of auditory learning and probably contribute to improvements in speech perception in normal development and in cochlear implant patients. © 2009 2009 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.