A cochlear stimulation system includes a speech processing strategy that applies non-auditory-informative stimuli as well as auditory-informative stimuli to the same or neighboring sets of electrodes. The non-auditory-informative stimuli are applied to the auditory neural system for the purpose of influencing the properties and response characteristics of the auditory system so that when the auditory-informative stimuli are applied, such stimuli are more effective at evoking a desired auditory response, i.e., are more effective at allowing the patient to perceive sound. The information-carrying stimuli may be applied to the auditory neural system at the same time as is the non-auditory-informative stimuli, or may be applied during time slots between application of the non-auditory-informative stimuli.
Low voltage stimulation to elicit stochastic response patterns that enhance the effectiveness of a cochlear implant