Cochlear Implant Stimulation of a Hearing Ear Generates Separate Electrophonic and Electroneural Responses

摘要: Electroacoustic stimulation in subjects with residual hearing is becoming more widely used clinical practice. However, little known about the properties of electrically induced responses cochlea. In present study, normal-hearing guinea pig cochleae underwent cochlear implantation through a cochleostomy without significant loss hearing. Using recordings unit activity midbrain, we were able to investigate excitation patterns throughout tonotopic field determined by acoustic stimulation. With implant and midbrain multielectrode arrays left place, ears pharmacologically deafened electrical was repeated condition. The results demonstrate that, addition direct neuronal (electroneuronal) stimulation, cochlea hair cells occurs (“electrophonic responses”) at site corresponding dominant temporal frequency components stimulus, provided these are SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Stimulation implants aids clinically neurophysiological characteristics underlying electroacoustic mechanism its benefit remain unclear. study directly demonstrates that does not interfere normal mechanical physiological function For first time, it double-dissociates (electrophonic responses) from auditory nerve fibers (electroneural responses), separate excited locations same animals. We describe condition which two spatially overlap. Finally, implicates using makes electrophonic unlikely implanted subjects.