Re: Do deaf humans (CI users) like music?

[Büchler Michael <Michael.Buechler@xxxxxx>]

Dear list

As many studies have shown, rhythmic cues are far better perceived through the CI than pitch or timbre.
Thus, not surprisingly, I do not know of any postlingually deaf CI recipients who can sing in tune.
However, many prelingually deaf children with CI like listening to music very much.
So, I wonder if there are any implanted children who can sing in tune (I do not know of any). If so, then it is because of lack of neuroplasticity or neural survival that postlingually implanted adults are not able to do this. If not, then the amount of information coming through the CI is just not sufficient at present. When listening to acoustic CI models, I tend to think the latter is the case.

Michael Buechler,
University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland