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Auditory-evoked potentials are being used to examine training-related changes in the human central auditory system, and there is converging evidence that focused listening training, using various training methods and different types of stimuli alters evoked neural activity. Such training-related changes are often described in terms of PHYSIOLOGICAL PLASTICITY, a process whereby the neural representation of the acoustic cue is modified with training. In this review, the concept of plasticity is discussed from a broader perspective. Specifically addressed is how electrophysiological methods are being used to study physiological modifications that occur with training, and how this information might contribute to the rehabilitation of people who wear hearing aids and cochlear implants.

Despite much research focusing on hearing aid and cochlearimplant devices, their engineering, and how they might be modified toensurebetteruse,researchstillcannotfullyexplainwhytwoindividualswiththe same configuration of hearing loss demonstrate significantly differentimprovements in speech understanding with similar hearing devices. Onepotential source of performance variability might be the central auditorysystem. Here we review the use of speech-evoked cortical potentials toinvestigate issues of performance variability and auditory rehabilitation.Specifically addressed are issues pertaining to the neural detection of time-varying speech cues, auditory training, and aging. KEYWORDS: Auditory evoked potentials, neural plasticity, hearing aidacclimatization, cochlear implants, auditory training, auditoryrehabilitation Learning Outcomes: As a result of this activity, the reader will be able to (1) describe how hearing involves bothperipheral and central mechanisms and that hearing loss (as well as the reintroduction of sound) alters centralauditory function, and (2) explain that the aforementioned experience-related biological changes probablycontribute to a person’s ability to make use of a hearing aid or cochlear implant.