Neural survival related to a cochlear implant may be assessed by determining stimulus efficacy for both focused and unfocused stimulation at a plurality of locations adjacent nerve tissue; and comparing stimulus efficacy for both the focused and unfocused stimulation at a plurality of locations to determine a measure of neural survival. In particular small differences in effects produced by unfocused and focused stimulation at each of the locations tends to indicate good survival at those locations and conversely large differences in effects of focused and unfocused stimulation at a given location indicate poor survival at that location.