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Feasibility evaluation of transtympanic laser stimulation of the cochlea from the outer ear

Infrared laser stimulation has been studied as an alternative approach to auditory prostheses. This study evaluated the feasibility of infrared laser stimulation of the cochlea from the outer ear bypassing the middle ear function. An optic fiber was inserted into the ear canal and a laser was used to irradiate the cochlea through the tympanic membrane in Mongolian gerbil. A pulsed infrared laser (10.1 mJ/cm2) and clicking sound (70 peak-to-peak equivalent sound pressure level) were presented to the animals. The amplitude of the laser-evoked cochlear response was systematically decreased following insertion of a filter between the tympanic membrane and cochlea; however, the auditory-evoked cochlear response did not decrease. The filter was removed and the laser-evoked response returned to around the original level. The amplitude ratio and the relative change in response amplitude before and during filter insertion significantly decreased as the absorbance of the infrared filter increased. These results indicate that laser irradiation could bypass the function of the middle ear and directly activate the cochlea. Therefore, an auditory prosthesis based on laser stimulation represents a possible noninvasive alternative to conventional auditory prostheses requiring surgical implants.