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Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Optogenetic Stimulation of the Auditory Nerve
Published on: October 8, 2014
Basis of electrical stimulation of the cochlea and the cochlear nucleus
Robert K Shepherd1, Douglas B McCreery
1The Bionic Ear Institute, The University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, Australia.
Abstract:
Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common form of deafness in humans. In patients with a severe-profound sensorineural hearing loss therapeutic intervention can only be achieved by direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve via a cochlear implant, or - in cases where a cochlear implant is not a surgical option - neurons within the central auditory pathway via an auditory brainstem implant. This paper reviews the basis of electrical stimulation of these structures with an emphasis on pathophysiology and safety.
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