Electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve: the influence of electrode position on neural excitation

Abstract

Improved speech recognition among cochlear implant patients would appear to be dependent on a number of factors including improved speech processing strategies and an improvement in the effectiveness of electrically stimulating residual auditory nerve fibers (i.e. lower thresholds, wider dynamic ranges and more localized current spread). Previous human temporal bone studies have shown that free fit scala tympani electrode arrays generally lay along the outer wall of the scala tympani. Therefore, there is a relatively large distance between the electrode array and the residual neural elements within Rosenthal's canal. In the present study, we systematically varied the location of the electrode within the scala tympani to examine the influence of electrode position on neural excitation.