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Psychophysical Tuning Curves as a Correlate of Electrode Position in Cochlear Implant Listeners

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ABSTRACT

Speech understanding abilities vary widely among cochlear implant (CI) listeners. A potential source of this variability is the electrode-neuron interface (ENI), which includes peripheral factors such as electrode position and integrity of remaining spiral ganglion neurons. Suboptimal positioning of the electrode array has been associated with poorer speech outcomes; however, postoperative computerized tomography (CT) scans are often not available to clinicians. CT-estimated electrode-to-modiolus distance (distance from the inner wall of the cochlea) has been shown to account for some variability in behavioral thresholds. However, psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) may provide additional insight into site-specific variation in channel interaction. Thirteen unilaterally implanted adults with the Advanced Bionics HiRes90K device participated. Behavioral thresholds and PTCs were collected for all available electrodes with steered quadrupolar (sQP) configuration, using a modified threshold sweep procedure, used in Bierer et al. (Trends Hear 19:1–12, 2015). PTC bandwidths were quantified to characterize channel interaction across the electrode array, and tip shifts were assessed to identify possible contributions of neural dead regions. Broader PTC bandwidths were correlated with electrodes farther from the modiolus, but not correlated with sQP threshold, though a trend was observed. Both measures were affected by scalar location, and PTC tip shifts were observed for electrodes farther from the modiolus. sQP threshold was the only variable correlated with word recognition. These results suggest PTCs may be used as a site-specific measure of channel interaction that correlates with electrode position in some CI listeners.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Kelly Jahn for assisting with data collection, Timothy Holden for analyzing the CT scans, and our subjects for their time and dedication.

Funding

This study received funding from RO1 DC012142 (JGA) and T32 DC 000033 (University of Washington Speech and Hearing Sciences: LAD).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, 4131 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98106, USA

    Lindsay DeVries & Julie G. Arenberg

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  1. Lindsay DeVries
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  2. Julie G. Arenberg
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Correspondence to Lindsay DeVries.

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DeVries, L., Arenberg, J.G. Psychophysical Tuning Curves as a Correlate of Electrode Position in Cochlear Implant Listeners. JARO 19, 571–587 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10162-018-0678-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10162-018-0678-4

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