Case report: Can cochlear implant stimulation lead to improved balance even after vestibular neurectomy?

DiscussionVestibular co-stimulation as a side effect of CI stimulation could not be the explanation in this case due to the ipsilateral vestibular neurectomy. It is more likely that the results can be attributed to the electrically restored auditory input, which serves as an external reference for maintaining balance and spatial orientation. In addition, this patient experienced disturbing tinnitus whenever her CI was deactivated. It is thus plausible that the tinnitus increased her cognitive load, which was already increased because of the BVP, leading to an increased imbalance in the absence of CI stimulation.
Source: Frontiers in Neurology - Category: Neurology Source Type: research