A physiological and behavioral system for hearing restoration with cochlear implants.
Cochlear implants are neuroprosthetic devices that provide hearing to deaf patients, although outcomes are highly variable even with prolonged training and use. The central auditory system must process cochlear implant signals, but it is unclear how neural circuits adapt-or fail to adapt-to such inputs. The knowledge of these mechanisms is required for development of next-generation neuroprosthetics that interface with existing neural circuits and enable synaptic plasticity to improve perceptual outcomes. Here, we describe a new system for cochlear implant insertion, stimulation, and behavioral training in rats. Animals were first ensured to have significant hearing loss via physiological and behavioral criteria. We developed a surgical approach for multichannel (2- or 8-channel) array insertion, comparable with implantation procedures and depth in humans. Peripheral and cortical responses to stimulation were used to program the implant objectively. Animals fitted with implants learned to use them for an auditory-dependent task that assesses frequency detection and recognition in a background of environmentally and self-generated noise and ceased responding appropriately to sounds when the implant was temporarily inactivated. This physiologically calibrated and behaviorally validated system provides a powerful opportunity to study the neural basis of neuroprosthetic device use and plasticity.
Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York;
Julia
J
King
Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Biology, Hunter College, New York, New York; and.
Ina
I
Shehu
Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York;
J Thomas
JT
Roland
Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York. *, co-senior authors.
Mario A
MA
Svirsky
Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York. *, co-senior authors. Robert.Froemke@med.nyu.edu.
Robert C
RC
Froemke
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery*; D008852:Microradiography; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
auditory cortex; behavior; cochlear implants; deafness; rats