A hearing prosthesis for severe perceptive deafness: experimental studies

Abstract

In the last few decades advances in science and surgery have permitted man to repair or replace almost every organ in his body. This is not the case, however, with the brain and spinal cord as these structures will not regenerate. Nevertheless, with recent developments in neurophysiology and technology it is becoming possible to correct brain and spinal cord dysfunction. For example, a multiple electrode array has been implanted over the visual cortex of a blind patient to help overcome this sensory disability (Brindley and Lewin, 1968). Attempts have also been made to cure severe nerve deafness by implanting electrodes in the cochlea, auditory nerve and central auditory pathways, and stimulating the auditory system electrically (Djourno and Eyries, 1957; Doyle et al., 1964; Simmons et al., 1964; Simmons et al., 1965; Michelson, 1971).