Abstract
Cochlear implants (CIs) are neuroprosthetic devices that can provide a sense of hearing to deaf people. However, a CI cannot restore all aspects of hearing. Improvement of the implant technology is needed if CI users are to perceive music and perform in more natural environments, such as hearing out a voice with competing talkers, reflections, and other sounds. Such improvement requires experimental animals to better understand the mechanisms of electric stimulation in the cochlea and its responses in the whole auditory system. The mouse is an increasingly attractive model due to the many genetic models available. However, the limited use of this species as a CI model is mainly due to the difficulty of implanting small electrode arrays. More details about the surgical procedure are therefore of great interest to expand the use of mice in CI research. In this report, we describe in detail the protocol for acute deafening and cochlear implantation of an electrode array in the C57BL/6 mouse strain. We demonstrate the functional efficacy of this procedure with electrically-evoked auditory brainstem response (eABR) and show examples of facial nerve stimulation. Finally, we also discuss the importance of including a deafening procedure when using a normally hearing animal. This mouse model provides a powerful opportunity to study genetic and neurobiological mechanisms that would be of relevance for CI users.
Highlights
Cochlear implants (CIs) are electronic devices that can provide a sense of hearing to people with severe and profound hearing loss
We demonstrate the functional efficacy of this procedure with electrically-evoked auditory brainstem response and show examples of facial nerve stimulation
Topical application of 0.05% neomycin in the oval and round window significantly increased click-evoked hearing thresholds by 46 dB ± 6 (Figure 3)
Summary
Cochlear implants (CIs) are electronic devices that can provide a sense of hearing to people with severe and profound hearing loss. It uses electrodes surgically implanted in the cochlea of the inner ear to directly stimulate the auditory nerve. The CI is the most successful sensory prosthesis and has helped more than 600,000 people worldwide[1]. The benefits provided by the device vary greatly among recipients. Speech in noisy environments and music are still poorly perceived by most CI users
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