Main peak interleaved sampling (MPIS) strategy: Effect of stimulation rate variations on speech perception in adult cochlear implant recipients using the Digisonic SP cochlear implant

Conclusion: Data obtained from a cohort of 10 post-lingually deaf adult patients indicated that use of a higher stimulation rate, in the setting of the main peak interleaved sampling (MPIS) strategy coupled with the Neurelec-MXM Digisonic SP cochlear implant system, gives a significant advantage in terms of speech perception if compared with a lower rate, especially in a noisy environment. Objectives: To evaluate speech recognition performances in post-lingually deaf adult cochlear implant recipients using two different stimulation rates (260 pps/e and 600 pps/e) in the setting of the MPIS strategy combined with the MXM-Neurelec Digisonic SP cochlear implant system. Patients and methods: Ten post-lingually deaf adults who consecutively received a Neurelec-MXM Digisonic SP device at the Cl Center of the University of Parma participated in the study. The study was conducted prospectively as a within-subject repeated measures (ABA protocol) between January 2007 and January 2008. Each subject was exposed to and sequentially tested with two different rates of stimulation (260 pps/e and 600 pps/e), in quiet and in a noisy environment. Statistical analysis was performed on the data obtained. Results: Subjects using the MPIS strategy with a stimulation rate of 600 pps/e performed significantly better in words and phrases recognition tests in both a noisy and a quiet environment.