Neural masking by sub-threshold electric stimuli: animal and computer model results

Electric stimuli can prosthetically excite auditory nerve fibers to partially restore sensory function to individuals impaired by profound or severe hearing loss. While basic response properties of electrically stimulated auditory nerve fibers (ANF) are known, responses to complex, time-changing stimuli used clinically are inadequately understood. We report that forward-masker pulse trains can enhance and reduce ANF responsiveness to subsequent stimuli and the novel observation that sub-threshold (nonspike-evoking) electric trains can reduce responsiveness to subsequent pulse-train stimuli. The effect is observed in the responses of cat ANFs and shown by a computational biophysical ANF model that simulates rate adaptation through integration of external potassium cation (K) channels. Both low-threshold (i.e., Klt) and high-threshold (Kht) channels were simulated at each node of Ranvier. Model versions without Klt channels did not produce the sub-threshold effect. These results suggest that some such accumulation mechanism, along with Klt channels, may underlie sub-threshold masking observed in cat ANF responses. As multichannel auditory prostheses typically present sub-threshold stimuli to various ANF subsets, there is clear relevance of these findings to clinical situations.