COCHLEAR PATHOLOGY FOLLOWING CHRONIC ELECTRICAL-STIMULATION OF THE AUDITORY-NERVE .2. DEAFENED KITTENS

Abstract

The present study examines the effects of long-term electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve on cochlear histopathology and spiral ganglion cell survival in young sensorineural deafened cats. Eight kittens were deafened using kanamycin and ethacrynic acid, and implanted with bipolar or monopolar scala tympani electrodes. Following recovery from surgery the animals were unilaterally stimulated using charge balanced biphasic current pulses for 450-1730 hours over implant periods of up to four months. Charge densities varied from 0.6-0.9 microC.cm-2 geom. per phase for monopolar electrodes to 12-26 microC.cm-2 geom. per phase for the bipolar electrodes. Electrically-evoked auditory brainste..