Abstract: The present invention is directed to the prevention or treatment of sensorineural hearing loss by administering a therapeutically effective amount of an implantable composition comprising encapsulated living choroid plexus cells.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a cochlear implant constructed and arranged to successively generate stimulation signals each comprising at least one stimulus pulse such that said successive stimulation signals incrementally build a neural excitation pattern that accurately reflects a received sound. In one embodiment, each said successive stimulation signal is generated based on the cumulative effect of all previous stimulus pulses, thereby compensating for finite spatial spreading of individual stimulus pulses as well as for the temporal integration of the neural excitation pattern along the neural pathways.

Abstract: A method generating electrical stimuli by an auditory prosthesis (1;1?;1?) including an array of stimulation devices in response to an incoming acoustic signal, the method including determining stimulation devices to be activated within the array and activation times for those electrodes; and applying a temporal adjustment (12) to the activation times such that activation of electrodes representing lower-amplitude components of the signal is delayed relative to activation of a proximate device representing a higher-amplitude component of the signal.

Abstract: A method for processing sound signals to generate electrical stimuli for an auditory prosthesis electrode array including a plurality of electrodes, the method including: deriving (10) one or more filtered representations (FIGS. 3 and 4) of an incoming audio signal; and, generating (11) a series of spikes from each filtered signal representation to directly control electrode stimulation. Each spike has a temporal position based upon an instant at which the filtered signal representation crosses a predetermined threshold (ÿ;0).

Abstract: A method generating electrical stimuli by an auditory prosthesis (1;1?;1?) including an array of stimulation devices in response to an incoming acoustic signal, the method including determining stimulation devices to be activated within the array and activation times for those electrodes; and applying a temporal adjustment (12) to the activation times such that activation of electrodes representing lower-amplitude components of the signal is delayed relative to activation of a proximate device representing a higher-amplitude component of the signal.

Abstract: An improved sound processor for a cochlear implant having electrodes for stimulating the auditory nerve, including means for receiving sounds, means for processing the sounds and converting them to electrical stimulation signals for application to the electrodes of the cochlear implant for stimulation of the auditory nerve, said sound processing means including means for generating electrical signals to be applied to the basal electrodes having different predetermined rates of stimulation and the implant having basal electrodes and apical electrodes and the means for generating electrical signals to be applied to the apical electrodes have a different rate of stimulation, the electrical signals to be applied to the basal electrodes having a higher rate of stimulation than the electrical signals to be applied to the apical electrodes.