Consonant recognition as a function of the number of stimulation channels in the Hybrid short-electrode cochlear implant

Consonant recognition was measured as a function of the number of stimulation channels for Hybrid short-electrode cochlear implant (CI) users, long-electrode CI users, and normal-hearing (NH) listeners in quiet and background noise. Short-electrode CI subjects were tested with 1-6 channels allocated to a frequency range of 1063-7938 Hz. Long-electrode CI subjects were tested with 1-6, 8, or 22 channels allocated to 188-7938 Hz, or 1-6 or 15 channels from the basal 15 electrodes allocated to 1063-7938 Hz. NH listeners were tested with simulations of each CI group/condition. Despite differences in intracochlear electrode spacing for equivalent channel conditions, all CI subject groups performed similarly at each channel condition and improved up to at least four channels in quiet and noise. All CI subject groups underperformed relative to NH subjects. These preliminary findings suggest that the limited channel benefit seen for CI users may not be due solely to increases in channel interactions as a function of electrode density. Other factors such as pre-operative patient history, location of stimulation in the base versus apex, or a limit on the number of electric channels that can be processed cognitively, may also interact with the effects of electrode contact spacing along the cochlea.