Temporal coding in auditory neurons to electrical stimulation [Abstract]

Abstract

The temporal response of the auditory pathway following intracochlear electrical stimulation will reflect the level of encoded temporal information, which is important for the further developmentof cochlear implant speech processing strategies, and in tum lead to a better understanding of temporal coding of acoustic stimuli Temporal coding of sound frequencies is based on the phase or time locked neural response seen to low frequency acoustic stimuli. The ability of neurons to respond in a time locked manner may determine the degree of encoded temporal frequency information. Electrophysiological studies have shown that the degree of response synchrony to charge balanced biphasic electrical stimuli is far greater than that seen to acoustic stimuli. We have investigated the temporal response properties of single units in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) in the cat to rates of electrical stimulation up to 800 pulses/s.