The purpose of this book is to contribute to basic and clinical medical research on cochlear implants for inner ear malformation and cochlear nerve deficiency. Cochlear implantation for children is performed worldwide, and the outcomes concerning speech and hearing acquisition are epoch-making. However, there are some difficulties associated with applying this operative treatment to patients who have complicated inner ear malformations or cochlear nerve deficiencies that have slowed the development of their speech, hearing, and/or sense of balance. The first part of the book outlines the fundamental aspects of inner ear maldevelopment to facilitate readers' understanding of cochlear implantation from the point of view of embryology, morphology, and genetics. In turn, the second part describes current clinical cases and presents successful clinical reports. The book offers a primary resource for otolaryngologists, neurologists, and pediatricians with an interest in this field.

The vestibular labyrinth consists of ? ve compartments: the lateral, anterior, and posterior semicircular canals, the utricule, and the saccule. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Robert Barany proposed the caloric test as a clinical test of the lateral semicircular canal. This test enabled clinicians to assess the individual lateral semicircular canal function easily by using the simple method of irrigating the external ear canal with cold or warm water and observing the induced nyst- mus. We believe that the caloric test was a breakthrough in the ? eld of vestibular research. However, as far as the other compartments were concerned, there was no simple clinical test equal to the caloric test for the lateral semicircular canal function. At the end of the twentieth century, the vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) test was proposed as a new method for assessing the individual saccule function. This test has some unique attributes. First, it uses sound stimulation, even though it is a test of the vestibular system. This appears to be a contradiction n- rophysiologically. As a result, in its early stages there were controversies conce- ing the origin of the responses. However, such controversies have been overcome by basic neurophysiological studies and clinical studies. Above all, sound sensit- ity of the saccular afferents shown in cats and guinea pigs with single-unit recording methods became the main supporting evidence. Nowadays, VEMP is one of the routine clinical tests for balance disorder."

Brain imaging and neurophysiological methods have been rapidly developed. The purpose of this book is to describe hearing problems which are caused by various kinds of brain diseases in central auditory pathway. Each topic is explained to use a lot of figures such as brain imaging and neurophysiological data comparing with neuropsychological tests. Readers will understand what happens in patients, when bilateral auditory nerve and auditory cortex are damaged in patients. Some patients can hear but cannot discriminate meanings of speech, music and environmental sounds. The author tries to explain why such a difference occurs.

Many congenitally deaf infants and children suffer vestibular failure, which produces problems with their postural control, locomotion and gait. However it is known that these children can eventually catch up with their normal balance control status in terms of development and growth as a result of central vestibular compensation. In "Vertigo and Balance Disorders in Children" the author provides comprehensive and integrative information on the vestibular system. The materials presented range from the history of its study, basic anatomy and physiology of vestibular organs, mechanism of balance and motor function development, to clinical aspects of vestibular disorders including their evaluation and pediatric neurology. Although there have been books discussing postural responses of infants and children with vestibular disorders, this is the first to present the influence of peripheral vestibular disorders and central vestibular compensation comprehensively. This book will benefit not only practitioners in this field such as pediatric otolaryngologists, pediatricians, child neurologists and neurologists, but also clinical specialists such as neonatologists, physical therapists and speech therapists, helping them to better care for patients with vestibular failure.

Auditory neuropathy is gaining more attention as new findings come to light and as hearing screening of newborns has been introduced in many countries in the past decade. A compilation of research topics from around the world, this book provides the latest knowledge on the neuropathy of the auditory and vestibular eighth cranial nerves, with valuable information on pathophysiology and genetics, new subtypes, and recent research on cochlear implants in patients with auditory neuropathy, including children. Among the several major sections of the book, one presents neurological cases and another focuses on historical issues. Covering a wide range of related topics, the book provides a wealth of insights on this disease entity and on auditory and vestibular neuropathy in particular. It is a useful and informative reference for all those interested in and concerned with auditory nerve disease, especially for medical students, researchers, and clinicians.

Auditory neuropathy is gaining more attention as new findings come to light and as hearing screening of newborns has been introduced in many countries in the past decade. A compilation of research topics from around the world, this book provides the latest knowledge on the neuropathy of the auditory and vestibular eighth cranial nerves, with valuable information on pathophysiology and genetics, new subtypes, and recent research on cochlear implants in patients with auditory neuropathy, including children. Among the several major sections of the book, one presents neurological cases and another focuses on historical issues. Covering a wide range of related topics, the book provides a wealth of insights on this disease entity and on auditory and vestibular neuropathy in particular. It is a useful and informative reference for all those interested in and concerned with auditory nerve disease, especially for medical students, researchers, and clinicians.

Many congenitally deaf infants and children suffer vestibular failure, which produces problems with their postural control, locomotion and gait. However it is known that these children can eventually catch up with their normal balance control status in terms of development and growth as a result of central vestibular compensation. In Vertigo and Balance Disorders in Children the author provides comprehensive and integrative information on the vestibular system. The materials presented range from the history of its study, basic anatomy and physiology of vestibular organs, mechanism of balance and motor function development, to clinical aspects of vestibular disorders including their evaluation and pediatric neurology. Although there have been books discussing postural responses of infants and children with vestibular disorders, this is the first to present the influence of peripheral vestibular disorders and central vestibular compensation comprehensively. This book will benefit not only practitioners in this field such as pediatric otolaryngologists, pediatricians, child neurologists and neurologists, but also clinical specialists such as neonatologists, physical therapists and speech therapists, helping them to better care for patients with vestibular failure.

The purpose of this book is to contribute to basic and clinical medical research on cochlear implants for inner ear malformation and cochlear nerve deficiency. Cochlear implantation for children is performed worldwide, and the outcomes concerning speech and hearing acquisition are epoch-making. However, there are some difficulties associated with applying this operative treatment to patients who have complicated inner ear malformations or cochlear nerve deficiencies that have slowed the development of their speech, hearing, and/or sense of balance. The first part of the book outlines the fundamental aspects of inner ear maldevelopment to facilitate readers' understanding of cochlear implantation from the point of view of embryology, morphology, and genetics. In turn, the second part describes current clinical cases and presents successful clinical reports. The book offers a primary resource for otolaryngologists, neurologists, and pediatricians with an interest in this field.

Brain imaging and neurophysiological methods have been rapidly developed. The purpose of this book is to describe hearing problems which are caused by various kinds of brain diseases in central auditory pathway. Each topic is explained to use a lot of figures such as brain imaging and neurophysiological data comparing with neuropsychological tests. Readers will understand what happens in patients, when bilateral auditory nerve and auditory cortex are damaged in patients. Some patients can hear but cannot discriminate meanings of speech, music and environmental sounds. The author tries to explain why such a difference occurs.

The vestibular labyrinth consists of ? ve compartments: the lateral, anterior, and posterior semicircular canals, the utricule, and the saccule. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Robert Barany proposed the caloric test as a clinical test of the lateral semicircular canal. This test enabled clinicians to assess the individual lateral semicircular canal function easily by using the simple method of irrigating the external ear canal with cold or warm water and observing the induced nyst- mus. We believe that the caloric test was a breakthrough in the ? eld of vestibular research. However, as far as the other compartments were concerned, there was no simple clinical test equal to the caloric test for the lateral semicircular canal function. At the end of the twentieth century, the vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) test was proposed as a new method for assessing the individual saccule function. This test has some unique attributes. First, it uses sound stimulation, even though it is a test of the vestibular system. This appears to be a contradiction n- rophysiologically. As a result, in its early stages there were controversies conce- ing the origin of the responses. However, such controversies have been overcome by basic neurophysiological studies and clinical studies. Above all, sound sensit- ity of the saccular afferents shown in cats and guinea pigs with single-unit recording methods became the main supporting evidence. Nowadays, VEMP is one of the routine clinical tests for balance disorder."