Modelling subject-specific electrically evoked auditory neural responses in the guinea pig

Abstract

The degree of hearing restoration provided by the cochlear implant is prone to inter-subject variance. The objective of this study is to account for some of the factors influencing this through a subject-specific model of the guinea pig inner ear. Electrically evoked auditory neural responses, a common measure of threshold activity, are used to quantify the accuracy of the model. The model expands on the existing guinea pig subject-specific model through the implementation of added parameters. It was found that modeling the return electrode, silicon carrier and hook region has the greatest effect on improving the accuracy of the model. These findings provide insight into the various parameters that affect neural excitation behaviour in the electrically stimulated auditory system and also lay the foundation for the development of subject-specific human models. It is expected that these models could potentially provide a tool to individualise implant parameters.

Afrikaans: Die vlak van gehoorherwinning wat deur kogleêre inplantings verskaf word, wissel van persoon tot persoon. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om faktore onderliggend aan hierdie variasie te ondersoek deur middel van 'n onderwerpspesifieke model van die marmotkoglea. Elektries-opgewekte gehoorsenuweereaksies, wat 'n kritieke stap in die gehoorherwinningsproses verteenwoordig, is gebruik om die akkuraatheid van die model te meet. Die model brei uit op die bestaande onderwerpspesifieke model deur bykomende veranderlikes te implemteer. Die modellering van die terugkeerelektrode, die silikoondraer en die haakarea het die meeste bygedra tot die verbetering van die model. Hierdie bevindinge werp lig op die verskeie veranderlikes wat die gedrag van senuwees in die elektries-gestimuleerde gehoorstelsel beïnvloed en lê 'n grondslag vir die ontwikkeling van onderwerpspesifieke modelle van menskogleas. Sulke modelle kan bydra tot gereedskap vir die berekening van veranderlikes vir individuele inplantinggebruikers.