Effects of chronic high-rate electrical stimulation on the cochlea and eighth nerve in the deafened guinea pig

This study was undertaken to examine the effects of chronic high-rate stimulation on the eighth nerve and cochlea. Fifty-four male pigmented guinea pigs were deafened and implanted with single ball electrodes in scala tympani. Four groups of animals received chronic electrical stimulation at a level of 5 microCol/cm2/ph for 1000 h as follows: Group A: 1000 Hz, 100 microseconds/ph duration, 100 microA peak; Group B: 250 Hz, 100 microseconds/ph duration, 100 microA peak; Group C: 2750 Hz, 36 microseconds/ph duration, 250 microA peak; Group D: 250 Hz, 400 microseconds/ph duration, 25 microA peak. Also, two control groups received 20 min stimulation during weekly electrically evoked auditory brainstem response (eABR) measurement (Group E) and about 5 s stimulation (Group F) during a brief eABR 3 day postimplantation and at perfusion. On Day 50, animals were perfused, midmodiolar sections cut and a quantitative assessment of spiral ganglion cells (SGC) performed. All stimulated subjects showed a similar decrease in eABR thresholds and dynamic range over time. No stimulation conditions induced pathology. All stimulation conditions enhanced survival of SGCs compared to unimplanted ears and implanted non-stimulated ears (Group F). There were no statistically significant differences in SGC survival between any stimulated groups, including Group E stimulated once a week. In conclusion, high-rate stimulation, under the conditions of this study, provides no additional risks and the same benefits to SGC survival as low-rate stimulation.