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Ipsilateral masking between acoustic and electric stimulations
Payton Lin1, Christopher W Turner, Bruce J Gantz
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92617, USA. paytonl@uci.edu.
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|September 1, 2011
Summary
Residual acoustic hearing is preserved with cochlear implants, improving speech in noise. This study explored electric-acoustic interactions, finding electrode length impacts masking effects and underlying psychophysical mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Residual acoustic hearing preservation is possible with cochlear implantation using specific surgical techniques and electrode arrays.
- Combined electric-acoustic stimulation enhances cochlear implant performance, especially speech recognition in noisy environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate electric-acoustic interactions and their psychophysical mechanisms.
- To measure simultaneous masking effects between electric pulses and acoustic pure tones.
Main Methods:
- Six subjects with preserved low-frequency acoustic hearing participated.
- Electric masking of acoustic tones and acoustic masking of electric stimulation were measured.
- Subjects used either a 24 mm long electrode array or a 10 mm hybrid array.
Main Results:
- The long electrode array showed significant electric masking of acoustic tones at higher frequencies (500-750 Hz) but not lower frequencies (125-250 Hz).
- Short electrode arrays did not produce electric masking of acoustic tones.
- Acoustic masking of electric stimulation showed threshold elevations at both apical and basal electrodes for both long and short arrays.
Conclusions:
- Electric-acoustic interactions are influenced by electrode array length.
- Results suggest underlying mechanisms may involve place-dependent peripheral masking or place-independent central masking.
