Processing Prosodic Cues with Cochlear Implants

Prosody is a vital attribute in the perception and production of speech. Due to the specific processing of speech signals in cochlear implants (CI) prosody perception with CIs is generally restricted. CIs reduce the fine structure of speech sounds due to the limited spectro-temporal resolution given by the finite number of electrodes stimulating the auditory nerve. This holds especially true for the processing of the voice fundamental frequency which is important for a number of prosodic aspects, such as intonation or sentence stress. This contribution reveals how far prosodic cues can be perceived by adult CI recipients and shows the influence of prosody on speech recognition. Moreover, studies addressing production and perception of prosodic cues in children and adolescents with CI are presented. Furthermore, measures to improve prosody perception with CI are discussed