A cochlear implant restores hearing primarily by:

• A Mechanically vibrating the oval window via a floating mass transducer
• B Stimulating the inferior colliculus through an implanted brainstem electrode array
• C Amplifying sound and delivering it to the round window through the external canal
• D Direct electrical stimulation of spiral ganglion cells of the auditory nerve ✓

Explanation

A cochlear implant converts sound picked up by an external processor into electrical currents delivered by an intracochlear electrode array, which directly depolarizes spiral ganglion neurons of the auditory nerve, thereby bypassing damaged or absent hair cells. Mechanical vibration of the oval window describes a middle ear implant such as a vibrant device, round window delivery of amplified sound describes conventional hearing aid function, and direct brainstem stimulation defines an auditory brainstem implant, used when the auditory nerves themselves are unavailable.

Reference: Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, 7th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.