Neural implants remedy hearing loss by integrating with the nervous system

Neural implants remedy hearing loss by integrating with the nervous system

Subject: Science and technology

Section: Health

Introduction:

• Hearing loss is a significant issue globally, with severe consequences for those affected.
• In India, the problem is particularly pronounced, impacting newborns due to genetic factors and consanguineous marriages.
• The World Health Organization estimates that severe to profound hearing loss affects nearly 2-3 per 1000 live births, making it the most common congenital anomaly worldwide.

Advances in Biomedical Engineering:

• Cochlear implants (CIs) have emerged as a solution, bypassing damaged hair cells in the inner ear.
• CIs electronically stimulate the cochlear nerve, allowing them to restore hearing by connecting external circuitry with the peripheral hearing apparatus and the central circuitry of the brain.

Components of Cochlear Implants:

• CIs comprise both external and internal components.
• They detect mechanical sound energy and convert it into electrical signals that can be delivered to the cochlear nerve.
• These electrical signals are processed by an external speech processor and transmitted through a radiofrequency interface into an array of electrodes implanted surgically within the cochlea (inner ear).

Post-Implantation Process:

• Activation of the CI occurs approximately three weeks after surgery once the wound has healed.
• Frequent mapping sessions and intensive habilitation efforts are essential to develop receptive and expressive language skills.

CI program in India:

• In Tamil Nadu, a highly successful CI program provides free cochlear implants to children below the age of six who are living below the poverty line, resulting in over 5000 surgeries performed under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.

Cochlear nerve:

• Part of cranial nerve VIII, the cochlear nerve carries auditory signals.
• Located in the inner ear, it transmits sound data to the brain.
• Crucial for sound perception, it processes pitch, volume, and location.
• There are two cochlear nerves, one for each ear, facilitating stereo hearing and sound localization.
• Damage can lead to hearing loss, often caused by various factors.