Characterizing the perceptual effect of changing phase duration: Is it place-pitch?

Cochlear implant stimulus phase duration can vary clinically to ensure adequate loudness growth while avoiding current-source compliance limits. These manipulations are typically done without consideration of any possible perceptual changes beyond loudness. However, limited reports in the literature suggest that changing phase duration can also impact pitch. It is well established that changes in multiple perceptual dimensions may be reported as pitch. In this study, phase duration and electrodes were systematically varied, and a multidimensional scaling paradigm was used to test whether perceptual changes caused by changes in phase duration lie along the dimension of place-pitch when observed.