[Reducing Tinnitus Intensity : Pilot Study to Attenuate Tonal Tinnitus Using Individually Spectrally Optimized Near-threshold Noise]

Overview

Journal HNO

Specialty Otorhinolaryngology

Date 2020 Nov 13

PMID 33185745

Citations 11

Authors

A Schilling

P Krauss

R Hannemann

H Schulze

K Tziridis

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Around 15% of the general population is affected by tinnitus, but no real cure exists despite intensive research. Based on our recent causal model for tinnitus development, we here test a new treatment aimed at counteracting the perception. This treatment is based on the stochastic resonance phenomenon at specific auditory system synapses that is induced by externally presented near-threshold noise.

Objective: This pilot study will investigate whether individually spectrally adapted noise can successfully reduce chronic tonal/narrow-band tinnitus during stimulation.

Materials And Methods: Hearing loss (HL) as well as tinnitus pitch (TP) and loudness (TL) were audiometrically measured in 22 adults (46.6±16.3 years; 4 women) with tinnitus. Based on these measurements, up to eight different noise stimuli with five intensities (-20 to +20 dB SL) were generated. These were presented for 40 s each via audiologic headphones in a soundproof chamber. After each presentation, the change in TL was rated on a five-level scale (-2 to +2).

Results: We found patients (n = 6) without any improvement in their TL perception as well as patients with improvement (n = 16), where stimulation around the TP was most effective. The groups differed in post-hoc analysis of their audiograms: the effectiveness of our new therapeutic strategy obviously depends on the individual HL, and was most effective in normal-hearing tinnitus patients and those with mild HL.

Conclusion: Subjective TL could be reduced in 16 out of 22 patients during stimulation. For a possible success of a future therapy, the HL seems to be of relevance.

Citing Articles

Tinnitus is associated with increased extracellular matrix density in the auditory cortex of Mongolian gerbils.

Tziridis K, Maul A, Rasheed J, Krauss P, Schilling A, Schulze H BMC Neurosci. 2024; 25(1):52.

PMID: 39420272 PMC: 11484117. DOI: 10.1186/s12868-024-00904-w.

[The Erlangen model of tinnitus development-New perspective and treatment strategy].

Schulze H, Schilling A, Krauss P, Tziridis K HNO. 2023; 71(10):662-668.

PMID: 37715002 PMC: 10520106. DOI: 10.1007/s00106-023-01355-1.

Predictive coding and stochastic resonance as fundamental principles of auditory phantom perception.

Schilling A, Sedley W, Gerum R, Metzner C, Tziridis K, Maier A Brain. 2023; 146(12):4809-4825.

PMID: 37503725 PMC: 10690027. DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad255.

Tinnitus is associated with improved cognitive performance and speech perception-Can stochastic resonance explain?.

Schilling A, Krauss P Front Aging Neurosci. 2023; 14:1073149.

PMID: 36589535 PMC: 9800600. DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1073149.

Preventive Effects of Ginkgo-Extract EGb 761 on Noise Trauma-Induced Cochlear Synaptopathy.

Tziridis K, Schulze H Nutrients. 2022; 14(15).

PMID: 35893868 PMC: 9330013. DOI: 10.3390/nu14153015.

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