Presentation description

Effective communication in noisy environments relies heavily on the health of the inner ear and auditory nerve, yet there is no standardized method to assess this critical aspect of human hearing. While an audiogram remains the most common diagnostic hearing test for measuring the softest sound a person can detect for several frequencies, it lacks sensitivity in detecting damage to auditory nerve fibers. Auditory nerve fibers can be damaged by noise exposure and aging, which may lead to difficulties understanding speech in noise, despite a normal audiogram. Patients with cochlear implants may encounter similar speech-in-noise challenges if inner ear hair cells are damaged during the implant insertion. Eardrum electrocochleography (EcochG) presents a promising solution by utilizing an electrode placed on the eardrum to measure electrical activity from cochlear hair cells and auditory nerve fibers. Optimizing EcochG recording procedures could potentially establish a standardized clinical assessment for evaluating inner ear and auditory nerve function, and improve nerve monitoring during cochlear implant insertion. This study aims to identify effective electrode placements for identification of hair cell and auditory nerve function while reducing contamination from muscle artifacts. By comparing electrode arrangements across participants, the study seeks to refine methods for assessing auditory health in patients with noise exposure, advanced age, and those undergoing cochlear implant surgery. The results are expected to strengthen measurements in cochlear synaptopathy research and to enhance the efficiency and safety of the cochlear implant insertion process.