Physiological properties of the electrically stimulated auditory nerve. I. Compound action potential recordings

• Published in: Hearing research Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 205 - 223
• Main Authors: Stypulkowski, P.H., van den Honert, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.1984; Elsevier
• Subjects: Action Potentials; Animals; auditory brainstem response; auditory nerve; Axons - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Stem - physiology; Cats; compound action potential; Dendrites - physiology; Electric Stimulation; electrical stimulation; Ent and stomatology; Evoked Potentials, Auditory; Hearing Disorders - diagnosis; Medical sciences; Neurons - physiology; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Refractory Period, Electrophysiological; Vestibulocochlear Nerve - physiology; electrical stimulation; auditory brainstem response; compound action potential; auditory nerve; Fissipedia; Carnivora; Electric; Instrumentation therapy; Action potential; Stimulation; Experimental study; Auditory nerve; Hearing loss; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Cat; ENT disease
• ISSN: 0378-5955; 1878-5891
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-5955(84)90051-0

The electrically evoked compound action potential (CAP) of the auditory nerve exhibits two peaks, termed N 0, at 350 μs latency, and N 1, at 550 μs latency. At low stimulus intensities the CAP consists solely of the long latency N 1 peak. As the stimulus strength is increased the higher threshold N 0 appears. At high stimulus intensities N 1 disappears and only the N 0 component of the CAP remains. It is postulated that N 1 represents action potentials propagated from the dendritic processes of the auditory neurons and that N 0 represents action potentials initiated on the axons of these cells. The N 1 peak exhibits anomalous refractory behavior which can be identified in the electrically evoked auditory brainstem response (EABR). That behavior may be useful diagnostically in assessing the extent of dendrite degeneration in cochlear implant candidates and users.