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Vater J, Gröschel M, Szczepek AJ, Olze H. Electrical Ear Canal Stimulation as a Therapeutic Approach for Tinnitus-A Proof of Concept Study. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2663. [PMID: 38731192 PMCID: PMC11084225 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13092663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Tinnitus-the perception of sound despite the absence of an external source-can be a debilitating condition for which there are currently no pharmacological remedies. Our proof of concept study focused on the immediate effects of non-invasive electrical stimulation through the ear canal on loudness and tinnitus-induced distress. In addition, we aimed to identify variables that may affect the simulation outcomes. Methods: Sixty-six patients (29 women and 37 men, mean age 54.4 ± 10.4) with chronic tinnitus were recruited to the tertiary referral hospital between December 2019 and December 2021. They underwent 10 min of electrical stimulation through the ear canal for three consecutive days. Visual analog scales measured loudness and tinnitus-induced distress immediately before and after stimulation. Results: After three days of electrical stimulation, tinnitus loudness decreased in 47% of patients, 45.5% reported no change, and 7.6% reported worsening. Tinnitus severity decreased in 36.4% of cases, 59.1% of patients reported no change, and 4.5% reported worsening. Women responded positively to therapy earlier than men. In addition, tinnitus distress decreased in patients with compensated tinnitus but not in those with uncompensated tinnitus. Finally, patients with bilateral tinnitus improved earlier than those with unilateral tinnitus, and the age of the patients did not influence the stimulation results. Conclusions: Our proof of concept study confirms the potential of non-invasive electrical stimulation of the ear as a promising screening approach to identifying patients for more advanced electrostimulation treatment, such as an extracochlear anti-tinnitus implant. These findings have practical implications for tinnitus management, offering hope for improved patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Heidi Olze
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität and Berlin Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (J.V.); (M.G.); (A.J.S.)
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Aazh H, McFerran D, Danesh AA, Louw C, Moore BCJ. A comparison of interaural asymmetry, audiogram slope, and psychometric measures of tinnitus, hyperacusis, anxiety and depression for patients with unilateral and bilateral tinnitus. Int J Audiol 2024; 63:373-380. [PMID: 36688600 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2022.2160383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate differences in tinnitus impact, hyperacusis and hearing threshold level (HTL) between patients with unilateral and bilateral tinnitus. For patients with unilateral tinnitus, to compare audiological variables for the tinnitus ear and the non-tinnitus ear. To assess whether the presence of unilateral tinnitus increases the likelihood of interaural hearing asymmetry (relative to bilateral tinnitus) that warrants referral for an MRI scan. DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional. STUDY SAMPLE Data regarding HTLs and responses to self-report questionnaires were collected from the records of 311 patients attending a tinnitus clinic. RESULTS 38.5% had unilateral tinnitus and the ears with tinnitus had higher HTLs and greater HTL slopes than the ears without tinnitus. There was no significant difference in tinnitus impact and hyperacusis between patients with unilateral and bilateral tinnitus. 40% of patients with unilateral tinnitus and 13% of patients with bilateral tinnitus had a between-ear difference in HTL ≥15 dB at two adjacent frequencies (2AF15 asymmetry). Unilateral tinnitus increased the risk of 2AF15 asymmetry by a factor of 4.4. CONCLUSIONS Unilateral tinnitus increases the risk of having interaural asymmetry in HTLs that warrants referral for an MRI scan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, UK
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
- Hashir International Specialist Clinics & Research Institute for Misophonia, Tinnitus and Hyperacusis, London, UK
| | | | - Ali A Danesh
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Christine Louw
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Edvall NK, Mehraei G, Claeson M, Lazar A, Bulla J, Leineweber C, Uhlén I, Canlon B, Cederroth CR. Alterations in auditory brainstem response distinguish occasional and constant tinnitus. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:155094. [PMID: 35077399 PMCID: PMC8884914 DOI: 10.1172/jci155094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The heterogeneity of tinnitus is thought to underlie the lack of objective diagnostic measures. METHODS Longitudinal data from 20,349 participants of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) cohort from 2008 to 2018 were used to understand the dynamics of transition between occasional and constant tinnitus. The second part of the study included electrophysiological data from 405 participants of the Swedish Tinnitus Outreach Project (STOP) cohort. RESULTS We determined that with increasing frequency of the occasional perception of self-reported tinnitus, the odds of reporting constant tinnitus after 2 years increases from 5.62 (95% CI, 4.83–6.55) for previous tinnitus (sometimes) to 29.74 (4.82–6.55) for previous tinnitus (often). When previous tinnitus was reported to be constant, the odds of reporting it as constant after 2 years rose to 603.02 (524.74–692.98), suggesting that once transitioned to constant tinnitus, the likelihood of tinnitus to persist was much greater. Auditory brain stem responses (ABRs) from subjects reporting nontinnitus (controls), occasional tinnitus, and constant tinnitus show that wave V latency increased in constant tinnitus when compared with occasional tinnitus or nontinnitus. The ABR from occasional tinnitus was indistinguishable from that of the nontinnitus controls. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the hypothesis that the transition from occasional to constant tinnitus is accompanied by neuronal changes in the midbrain leading to a persisting tinnitus, which is then less likely to remit. FUNDING This study was supported by the GENDER-Net Co-Plus Fund (GNP-182), the European Union’s Horizon 2020 grants no. 848261 (Unification of Treatments and Interventions for Tinnitus [UNITI]) and no. 722046 (European School for Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research [ESIT]).
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas K. Edvall
- Laboratory of Experimental Audiology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Martin Claeson
- Stress Research Institute (Stressforksningsinsitutet), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andra Lazar
- Hörsel-och Balanskliniken, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Bulla
- University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Constanze Leineweber
- Stress Research Institute (Stressforksningsinsitutet), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Inger Uhlén
- Hörsel-och Balanskliniken, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Barbara Canlon
- Laboratory of Experimental Audiology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christopher R. Cederroth
- Laboratory of Experimental Audiology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, United Kingdom (UK)
- Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Biswas R, Schiller A, Casolani C, Daoud E, Dode A, Genitsaridi E, Jacquemin L, Liyanage N, Lourenco M, Makani P, Parameshwarappa V, Riha C, L Santacruz J, Shabbir M, Simoes J, Trpchevska N, Schoisswohl S. Doctoral Studies as part of an Innovative Training Network (ITN): Early Stage Researcher (ESR) experiences. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2021; 1:34. [PMID: 37645158 PMCID: PMC10446088 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.13094.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Background: The Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Actions' (MSCA) Innovative Training Network (ITN) is a doctoral training programme jointly implemented by academic institutions and industries from countries across Europe and beyond. To our knowledge no study has examined the experience of students participating in MSCA-ITNs. This study aims to evaluate and report MSCA-ITN Early Stage Researcher (ESR) experiences. Methods: The Innovative Training Network - Evaluation Questionnaire (ITN-EQ) was developed to assess supervision, training, collaborations and experiences of ESRs and forwarded to two tinnitus-related ITNs and seven ITNs of other disciplines. Results: Key advantages identified included better career prospects, multidisciplinary research opportunities/collaborations, international exposure, personal/professional development, plus generous salaries and research budgets. However, lack of a common EU framework resulted in the experience being largely dependent on the host institution, country and supervisor. Moreover, managing the dual requirements of ITNs and host institutions while completing a three-year PhD seemed challenging for most ESRs. ESR involvement in workshop and training school planning was desirable. More than 80% of ESRs rated the overall ITN experience favourably and 98.3% would recommend the same to prospective PhD students. Conclusions: This report could provide valuable insights in planning and management of future ITNs and could assist prospective students in their decision of joining an ITN for their PhD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshni Biswas
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Hearing Sciences, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Axel Schiller
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Chiara Casolani
- Tinnitus Assessment Causes Treatments (TIN-ACT), Groningen, The Netherlands
- Hearing System Section, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
- Oticon A/S, DK-2765 Smørum, Denmark
- Interacoustics Research Unit, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Elza Daoud
- Tinnitus Assessment Causes Treatments (TIN-ACT), Groningen, The Netherlands
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Albi Dode
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Institute of Databases and Information Systems, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Eleni Genitsaridi
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Hearing Sciences, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - Laure Jacquemin
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Dept. of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Nuwan Liyanage
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matheus Lourenco
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Experimental Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Health Psychology Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences,, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Punitkumar Makani
- Tinnitus Assessment Causes Treatments (TIN-ACT), Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Vinay Parameshwarappa
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Constanze Riha
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Neuropsychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jose L Santacruz
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences (Research School of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurosciences), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maryam Shabbir
- Hearing Sciences, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Tinnitus Assessment Causes Treatments (TIN-ACT), Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jorge Simoes
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Natalia Trpchevska
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Experimental Audiology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stefan Schoisswohl
- European School on Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research (ESIT), Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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