Cochlear implants: the view from the brain

The cochlear implant arguably is the most successful neural prosthesis. Studies of the responses of the central auditory system to prosthetic electrical stimulation of the cochlea are revealing the success with which electrical stimulation of a deaf ear can mimic acoustic stimulation of a normal-hearing ear. Understanding of the physiology of central auditory structures can lead to improved restoration of hearing with cochlear implants. In turn, the cochlear implant can be exploited as an experimental tool for examining central hearing mechanisms isolated from the effects of cochlear mechanics and transduction.