Body Perception and Action Following Deafness

Table 1

Body-related abilities for deaf and hearing individuals.

Task	Findings^1,2	References
Body sensations
Object identification	ED = H	[38]
Reaction time	ED = H	[39]
	EDCI > H	[40]
	LDCI = H	[40, 41]
Discrimination of rhythmic pattern	ED = H	[42]
Sensitivity	D = H	[43, 44]
	CI = H	[4, 45, 46]
Orientation detection	ED > H	[47]
	CI = H	[4, 46]
Temporal sensitivity	ED < H	[48]
Spatial sensitivity	ED = H	[48]
Temporal onset- offset-order discrimination	ED = H	[44]
Frequency discrimination	ED = H	[49]
	CI = H	[4, 46]
Frequency change detection	ED > H	[49]
Multisensory interactions involving touch
Audiotactile reaction time	CI = H	[40]
Audiotactile segregation	CI ≠ H	[4]
Audiotactile integration	CI ≠ H	[46]
Body movement
Motor coordination	D = H	[50]
	D < H	[34, 51, 52]
Sequential limb movement	D < H	[53]
Serial-order learning	CI < H	[54, 55]
	D < H	[56]
Body posture
Posture	D < H	[57–61]

D: deaf, ED: early deaf, LD: late deaf, CI: cochlear implant users, EDCI: early deaf cochlear implant users, LDCI: late deaf cochlear implant users, and D: deaf and cochlear implant users confounded.
D = H, no population difference; D > H, deaf group demonstrating enhanced body related abilities compared to hearing group; D < H, deaf group displaying worse body related abilities compared to hearing group; D ≠ H, deaf group displaying significantly altered abilities compared to hearing group.