Genetic biomarkers of neuroplasticity in congenitally deaf children treated with cochlear implantation (CI) would allow to implement better clinical management, taking into account individual, personalized needs, especially giving them better chances of spoken language rehabilitation. We tested the hypothesis, that carrying certain variants of the genes encoding matrix metalloproteinase MMP9 and neurotrophine BDNF, involved in synaptic plasticity can be taken as prognostic markers of  how well auditory system responses to the delivery of electric currents via cochlear implant, that is how well an implanted child acquires linguistic skills. In the group of 100 deaf born children, who were diagnosed with DFNB-1 related deafness association analysis of functional MMP9 rs3918242 and BDNF rs6265 variants and the child’s auditory development measured at CI activation and 1, 5, 9, 14 and 24 months post CI activation with LittlEARS Questionnaire (LEAQ) was conducted. All children were unilaterally implanted before 2ndbirthday, with the same type of device. Statistical analysis in the subgroup implanted after 1 year of life (n=53) showed significant association between MMP9 rs3918242 and LEAQ scores at 1 month (p=0.01), at 5 months (p=0.01), at 9 months (p=0.01) and at 24 months (p=0.01) after CI activation. No significant associations in the subgroup implanted before 1 year of life were observed. No significant associations between the BDNF rs6265 and LEAQ score in both subgroups were found. Multiple regression analysis (R2 = 0.73) in the subgroup implanted after 1 year of life revealed that MMP9 rs3918242 was a significant predictor of treatment outcome. Concluding, C/C rs3918242 MMP9predisposes their deaf carriers to better CI outcomes, especially when implanted after the 1st birthday, than carriers of C/T rs3918242MMP9.
Funding: National Centre of Science grant NCN UMO 2013/14/D/NZ5/03337

Genetic biomarkers of neuroplasticity in congenitally deaf children treated with cochlear implantation (CI) would allow to implement better clinical management, taking into account individual, personalized needs, especially giving them better chances of spoken language rehabilitation. We tested the hypothesis, that carrying certain variants of the genes encoding matrix metalloproteinase _MMP9_ and neurotrophine _BDNF_, involved in synaptic plasticity can be taken as prognostic markers of  how well auditory system responses to the delivery of electric currents via cochlear implant, that is how well an implanted child acquires linguistic skills. In the group of 100 deaf born children, who were diagnosed with DFNB-1 related deafness association analysis of functional _MMP9_ rs3918242 and _BDNF_ rs6265 variants and the child’s auditory development measured at CI activation and 1, 5, 9, 14 and 24 months post CI activation with LittlEARS Questionnaire (LEAQ) was conducted. All children were unilaterally implanted before 2ndbirthday, with the same type of device. Statistical analysis in the subgroup implanted after 1 year of life (n=53) showed significant association between _MMP9_ rs3918242 and LEAQ scores at 1 month (p=0.01), at 5 months (p=0.01), at 9 months (p=0.01) and at 24 months (p=0.01) after CI activation. No significant associations in the subgroup implanted before 1 year of life were observed. No significant associations between the _BDNF_ rs6265 and LEAQ score in both subgroups were found. Multiple regression analysis (R2 = 0.73) in the subgroup implanted after 1 year of life revealed that _MMP9_ rs3918242 was a significant predictor of treatment outcome. Concluding, C/C rs3918242 _MMP9_predisposes their deaf carriers to better CI outcomes, especially when implanted after the 1st birthday, than carriers of C/T rs3918242_MMP9._
Funding: National Centre of Science grant NCN UMO 2013/14/D/NZ5/03337

Genetic polymorphisms of MMP9 and BDNF as a biomarkers of neuroplasticity in prelingual deafness treatment by cochlear implantation.

It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm, that on behalf of the Cochlear Implant centers of the Radboud UMC in Nijmegen and Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital in Rotterdam to invite you to attend the 16th European Symposium on Pediatric Cochlear Implantation to Rotterdam, the Netherlands in 2023.

Yours sincerely, on behalf of the CI Centers at Radboud UMC and Erasmus MC,