COCHLEAR PATHOLOGY FOLLOWING CHRONIC ELECTRICAL-STIMULATION USING NONCHARGE BALANCED STIMULI

Abstract

During the course of a chronic intracochlear electrical stimulation study using charge balanced biphasic current pulses, one animal inadvertently received a short period of direct current (DC) stimulation at a level of approximately 1 microA. Subsequent, the animal was chronically stimulated using a poorly charge balanced waveform that produced a DC level of approximately 2 microA. Extensive pathological changes were observed within the cochlea. These changes included widespread spiral ganglion cell loss and new bone growth that extended throughout all turns of the cochlea. Significant changes in the morphology of the electrically evoked auditory brainstem response (EABR) were associated wit..