Relationships between ECAP amplitude growth functions and perceptual growth in cochlear implant users…

StudyHearing research· Jul 2026

Relationships between ECAP amplitude growth functions and perceptual growth in cochlear implant users: Implications for individualized cochlear implant fitting.

Andreas Büchner, Lutz Gärtner, Thomas Lenarz … Reinhold Schatzer

Otology & HearingStudyQ2IF 3.1

Physiological evoked compound action potential model accurately predicted perceptual loudness growth in most cochlear implant fits

Relationships between ECAP amplitude growth functions and perceptual growth in cochlear implant users: Implications for individualized cochlear implant fitting.

Andreas Büchner … Reinhold Schatzer

Hearing research · Jul 2026

Purpose

This study examined if the amplitude growth function (amplitude growth function) of the electrically evoked compound action potential (evoked compound action potential) can objectively predict the perceptual loudness growth function (loudness growth function) in cochlear implant (CI) users.

Methods

Evoked compound action potential AGFs were measured in 16 CI users across all active electrodes using the MED-EL AutoART fine-grain procedure.

n = 16 CI users

Results

the model closely matched real loudness perception in most fits

66%

R²>0.8

45%

R²>0.9

More results

Loudness growth functions showed a systematic rate dependency: shifting from compressive at 80 pps to expansive at 1200 pps.

Electrode-specific effects were less pronounced.

The power-law exponent increased significantly with stimulation rate (p < 10⁻¹⁵), indicating steeper loudness growth at higher rates.

“

Conclusion · 1 of 2

A strong, systematic relationship exists between evoked compound action potential AGFs and perceptual loudness growth across stimulation rates in CI users.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Modeling loudness growth from evoked compound action potential data provides a viable path toward objective, physiology-based individualization of compression functions in future CI fittings.

Relationships between ECAP amplitude growth functions and perceptual growth in cochlear implant users: Implications for individualized cochlear implant fitting.

Relationships between ECAP amplitude growth functions and perceptual growth in cochlear implant users: Implications for individualized cochlear implant fitting.

Related papers