The history and future of neural modeling for cochlear implants.

This special issue of Network: Computation in Neural Systems on the topic of "Computational models of the electrically stimulated auditory system" incorporates review articles spanning a wide range of approaches to modeling cochlear implant stimulation of the auditory system. The purpose of this overview paper is to provide a historical context for the different modeling endeavors and to point toward how computational modeling could play a key role in the understanding, evaluation, and improvement of cochlear implants in the future.