人工耳蜗植入者位置特异性相间间隙效应与竞争语境言语识别的相关性研究初探OA

Objective This study aimed to investigate the position-specific correlation between peripheral auditory nerve function(evaluated via the interphase gap effect,IPG effect)and speech recognition performance in competing acoustic environments among cochlear implant(CI)users,with a focus on the differential contributions of neural functions across cochlear regions.Methods Thirteen unilateral Nurotron CS-20A(TM)CI users(aged 9-68 years),all with an implanted electrode length of 22 mm,were included,and the slopes of the amplitude growth functions(AGF)of the electrically evoked compound action potential(ECAP)were measured at four electrodes from the cochlea apex to the cochlea floor(E1:213 Hz,E7:945 Hz,E13:1920 Hz,and E19:3992 Hz)in the IPG=5 μs versus 30 μs condition,and the electrode-specific IPG was calculated.Speech tests included correct bisyllabic word/phrase recognition in quiet vs.steady state noise(+5dB SNR),and closed-set phrase recognition threshold(TMR)under competing masking of same-sex(male)vs.opposite-sex(female)voices.Results There were inter-individual and inter-electrode differences in the IPG effect(E1:18%,E7:51%,E13:56%,E19:28%;elicitation rates 61.5%-84.6%).The IPG effect in the E1(low-frequency region)was positively correlated with disyllabic word recognition rate in quiet/noise(r=0.555-0.723,P<0.05),and sentence recognition rate in noise(r=0.589,P=0.034),and negatively correlated with female voice masking recognition threshold(r=-0.637,P=0.019).Conclusion There is a clear location-specific association between the IPG effect and speech recognition performance,and low-frequency neural function in the cochleo-parietal region(E1)is a key biomarker of speech perception in noisy and competing contexts.The IPG effect can be used as a specific indicator for assessing the health of peripheral nerves.