Cochlear implants are currently the most effective treatment for profound sensorineural hearing loss. However, their therapeutic effect is limited by the survival and proper physiological function of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs), which are targeted by the cochlear implant. It is therefore critical to explore the mechanism behind the effect of electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS) on the targeted SGNs. In this work, a biocompatible cochlear implant/graphene EAS system was created by combining a cochlear implant to provide the electrically transformed sound stimulation with graphene as the conductive neural interface. SGNs were cultured on the graphene and exposed to EAS from the cochlear implant. Neurite extension of SGNs was accelerated with long-term stimulation, which might contribute to the development of growth cones. Our system allows us to study the effects of cochlear implants on SGNs in a low-cost and time-saving way, and this might provide profound insights into the use of cochlear implants and thus be of benefit to the populations suffering from sensorineural hearing loss.
Keywords: cochlear implant; electric-acoustic stimulation; graphene; neurites; spiral ganglion neurons.