Tinnitus Suppression by Means of Cochlear Implantation: Does It Affect Cognition?

Overview

Journal Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol

Specialty Otorhinolaryngology

Date 2023 Dec 5

PMID 38052757

Authors

Sarah van Genuchten

Annick Gilles

Griet Mertens

Ellen Andries

Emilie Cardon

Vincent Van Rompaey

Marc Lammers

Olivier M Vanderveken

Laure Jacquemin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Recent literature suggests that tinnitus can impact cognition, but results were varied due to a diversity in investigated aspects of cognition and utilized tests, as well as the possible influence of confounding factors. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of tinnitus loudness on cognition by use of a within-subjects design in patients with a cochlear implant (CI). In this population, tinnitus loudness can be modulated by switching the CI on or off as CI is known to highly suppress tinnitus.

Methods: A total of 18 CI users completed two versions of the Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status for Hearing Impaired individuals (RBANS-H), once in unaided condition and once in best aided condition. Tinnitus suppression was defined as a difference in score on a visual-analogue scale (VAS) of at least one point out of ten between these two conditions.

Results: No significant differences in RBANS-H scores were found between the suppression and no suppression group, nor for the suppression group alone. No significant correlations between tinnitus loudness and RBANS-H were found, neither for the suppression group alone, nor for the group as a whole.

Conclusion: The current study shows no significant effect of tinnitus loudness on cognition, which contradicts previous literature. This discrepancy could be explained by the use of a within-subjects design, which controls for confounding factors. Future research should include a larger and more diverse study sample to draw definitive conclusions on this topic.

References

Cima R, Mazurek B, Haider H, Kikidis D, Lapira A, Norena A . A multidisciplinary European guideline for tinnitus: diagnostics, assessment, and treatment. HNO. 2019; 67(Suppl 1):10-42. DOI: 10.1007/s00106-019-0633-7. View

Degeest S, Kestens K, Keppler H . Investigation of the Relation Between Tinnitus, Cognition, and the Amount of Listening Effort. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2022; 65(5):1988-2002. DOI: 10.1044/2022_JSLHR-21-00347. View

Assouly K, van Heteren J, Stokroos R, Stegeman I, Smit A . Cochlear implantation for patients with tinnitus - A systematic review. Prog Brain Res. 2021; 260:27-50. DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2020.06.013. View

McCormack A, Edmondson-Jones M, Fortnum H, Dawes P, Middleton H, Munro K . The prevalence of tinnitus and the relationship with neuroticism in a middle-aged UK population. J Psychosom Res. 2013; 76(1):56-60. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2013.08.018. View

Biswas R, Lugo A, Akeroyd M, Schlee W, Gallus S, Hall D . Tinnitus prevalence in Europe: a multi-country cross-sectional population study. Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2021; 12:100250. PMC: 8671623. DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100250. View

Jafari Z, Kolb B, Mohajerani M . Age-related hearing loss and tinnitus, dementia risk, and auditory amplification outcomes. Ageing Res Rev. 2019; 56:100963. DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2019.100963. View

Olze H, Szczepek A, Haupt H, Zirke N, Graebel S, Mazurek B . The impact of cochlear implantation on tinnitus, stress and quality of life in postlingually deafened patients. Audiol Neurootol. 2011; 17(1):2-11. DOI: 10.1159/000323847. View

Mohamad N, Hoare D, Hall D . The consequences of tinnitus and tinnitus severity on cognition: A review of the behavioural evidence. Hear Res. 2015; 332:199-209. DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2015.10.001. View

Tegg-Quinn S, Bennett R, Eikelboom R, Baguley D . The impact of tinnitus upon cognition in adults: A systematic review. Int J Audiol. 2016; 55(10):533-40. DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2016.1185168. View

10.

Clarke N, Henshaw H, Akeroyd M, Adams B, Hoare D . Associations Between Subjective Tinnitus and Cognitive Performance: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. Trends Hear. 2020; 24:2331216520918416. PMC: 7243410. DOI: 10.1177/2331216520918416. View

11.

Cardon E, Jacquemin L, Mertens G, Van de Heyning P, Vanderveken O, Topsakal V . Cognitive Performance in Chronic Tinnitus Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the RBANS-H. Otol Neurotol. 2019; 40(9):e876-e882. DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000002403. View

12.

Neff P, Simoes J, Psatha S, Nyamaa A, Boecking B, Rausch L . The impact of tinnitus distress on cognition. Sci Rep. 2021; 11(1):2243. PMC: 7838303. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81728-0. View

13.

Wang Y, Zhang J, Hu W, Li J, Zhou J, Zhang J . The characteristics of cognitive impairment in subjective chronic tinnitus. Brain Behav. 2018; 8(3):e00918. PMC: 5840442. DOI: 10.1002/brb3.918. View

14.

Quaranta N, Wagstaff S, Baguley D . Tinnitus and cochlear implantation. Int J Audiol. 2004; 43(5):245-51. DOI: 10.1080/14992020400050033. View

15.

Ramakers G, van Zon A, Stegeman I, Grolman W . The effect of cochlear implantation on tinnitus in patients with bilateral hearing loss: A systematic review. Laryngoscope. 2015; 125(11):2584-92. DOI: 10.1002/lary.25370. View

16.

Lin F, Ferrucci L, Metter E, An Y, Zonderman A, Resnick S . Hearing loss and cognition in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Neuropsychology. 2011; 25(6):763-70. PMC: 3193888. DOI: 10.1037/a0024238. View

17.

Claes A, Van de Heyning P, Gilles A, Van Rompaey V, Mertens G . Cognitive Performance of Severely Hearing-impaired Older Adults Before and After Cochlear Implantation: Preliminary Results of a Prospective, Longitudinal Cohort Study Using the RBANS-H. Otol Neurotol. 2018; 39(9):e765-e773. DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000001936. View

18.

Claes A, Van de Heyning P, Gilles A, Hofkens-Van den Brandt A, Van Rompaey V, Mertens G . Impaired Cognitive Functioning in Cochlear Implant Recipients Over the Age of 55 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status for Hearing-Impaired Individuals (RBANS-H). Front Neurosci. 2018; 12:580. PMC: 6117382. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00580. View

19.

Claes A, Mertens G, Gilles A, Hofkens-Van den Brandt A, Fransen E, Van Rompaey V . The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status for Hearing Impaired Individuals (RBANS-H) before and after Cochlear Implantation: A Protocol for a Prospective, Longitudinal Cohort Study. Front Neurosci. 2016; 10:512. PMC: 5108794. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00512. View

20.

Mertens G, Andries E, Claes A, Topsakal V, Van de Heyning P, Van Rompaey V . Cognitive Improvement After Cochlear Implantation in Older Adults With Severe or Profound Hearing Impairment: A Prospective, Longitudinal, Controlled, Multicenter Study. Ear Hear. 2020; 42(3):606-614. PMC: 8088820. DOI: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000962. View