title: Results using the OPAL strategy in Mandarin speaking cochlear implant recipients.
abstract: To evaluate the effectiveness of an experimental pitch-coding strategy for improving recognition of Mandarin lexical tone in cochlear implant (CI) recipients.
  
  
  
  Adult CI recipients were tested on recognition of Mandarin tones in quiet and speech-shaped noise at a signal-to-noise ratio of +10 dB; Mandarin sentence speech-reception threshold (SRT) in speech-shaped noise; and pitch discrimination of synthetic complex-harmonic tones in quiet. Two versions of the experimental strategy were examined: (OPAL) linear (1:1) mapping of fundamental frequency (F0) to the coded modulation rate; and (OPAL+) transposed mapping of high F0s to a lower coded rate. Outcomes were compared to results using the clinical ACE™ strategy.
  
  
  
  Five Mandarin speaking users of Nucleus® cochlear implants.
  
  
  
  A small but significant benefit in recognition of lexical tones was observed using OPAL compared to ACE in noise, but not in quiet, and not for OPAL+ compared to ACE or OPAL in quiet or noise. Sentence SRTs were significantly better using OPAL+ and comparable using OPAL to those using ACE. No differences in pitch discrimination thresholds were observed across strategies.
  
  
  
  OPAL can provide benefits to Mandarin lexical tone recognition in moderately noisy conditions and preserve perception of Mandarin sentences in challenging noise conditions.
authors.affiliation: a The Hearing CRC , Carlton , Victoria , Australia.|b The Bionics Institute , East Melbourne , Victoria , Australia , and.
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Vandali
authors.affiliation: a The Hearing CRC , Carlton , Victoria , Australia.|c Cochlear Ltd , East Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.
authors.forename: Pam W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.affiliation: a The Hearing CRC , Carlton , Victoria , Australia.|c Cochlear Ltd , East Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.
authors.forename: Komal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arora
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002681:China; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010700:Phonetics; D010897:Pitch Discrimination; D010898:Pitch Perception; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013067:Speech Perception; D013069:Speech Reception Threshold Test
keywords: Mandarin perception; cochlear implant; lexical tone; pitch coding