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Grillo EU, Corej B, Wolfberg J. Normative Values of Client-Reported Outcome Measures and Self-Ratings of Six Voice Parameters via the VoiceEvalU8 App. J Voice 2024; 38:964.e17-964.e27. [PMID: 34895987 PMCID: PMC9177899 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Ecological momentary assessments (EMA) and interventions (EMI) have the potential to assess and offer interventions repeatedly within the client's daily life through mobile app technology. Considering the development of the EMA VoiceEvalU8, the current work provided normative data by comparing traditional (i.e., paper and pencil) and electronic (i.e., VoiceEvalU8 app) administration modalities of client-reported outcome measures and client self-ratings of six voice parameters twice a day in their functional environment. METHODS In Experiment 1, 50 vocally healthy cisgender women and men completed the Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-30, VHI-10, and Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) with paper and pencil and the VoiceEvalU8 app. The order of administration modality and perceptual scales was randomized for each participant. In Experiment 2, 104 vocally healthy cisgender women and men used the VoiceEvalU8 app across five days in the morning before talking all day and in the evening after talking all day to self-rate six voice parameters (i.e., overall quality, roughness, breathiness, strain, pitch, and loudness) on a scale from 0 - 100. Mann Whitney U tests were run for all measures. Means and standard deviations are reported for descriptive analysis and normative values. RESULTS In Experiment 1, results showed no significant differences between paper and pencil and VoiceEValU8 app administration for the VHI-30, VHI-10, and VFI for vocally healthy adults. Normative values in the current study were consistent with previous literature for the VHI-10 and VFI factor 1 and 2, but slightly higher for the VHI-30 and slightly lower for the VFI factor 3. In Experiment 2, results demonstrated significant differences for all six voice parameters between the morning and evening log sessions. Normative values demonstrated higher self-ratings in the morning as compared to the evening. CONCLUSIONS For vocally healthy adults, completing the VHI-30, VHI-10, and VFI via paper and pencil and the VoiceEvalU8 app yielded the same results. Client self-ratings of six voice parameters on a scale from 0 - 100 twice a day demonstrated that vocally healthy adults perceived voice to be worse in the morning before talking all day as compared to the evening after talking all day. The results from the current work are promising for EMA via the VoiceEvalU8 app and support the need for continued investigations with clients with voice differences, problems, and/or disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth U Grillo
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA.
| | - Brigit Corej
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jeremy Wolfberg
- Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Speech-Language Pathology Master's Program, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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2
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Hahad O, Döge J, Bahr-Hamm K, Beutel ME, Kontohow-Beckers K, Schuster AK, Keller K, Hobohm L, Schmitt VH, Gianicolo E, Lackner KJ, Daiber A, Wild PS, Hackenberg B, Münzel T. Noise annoyance due to different sources is associated with tinnitus presence and distress in the general population. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41370-024-00668-9. [PMID: 38570612 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00668-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathophysiology of tinnitus is not yet fully understood. Although there is a large amount of evidence associating traffic noise exposure with non-auditory health outcomes, there is no evidence regarding the impact of noise annoyance on auditory disorders such as tinnitus. OBJECTIVE Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between noise annoyance due to different sources and tinnitus presence and distress in the general population. METHODS Data of 6813 participants from a large German population-based cohort were used (Gutenberg Health Study). Participants were asked about the presence of tinnitus and how much they were bothered by it. In addition, information on annoyance from road traffic, aircraft, railways, industrial, and neighborhood noise during the day and sleep was collected through validated questionnaires. RESULTS The prevalence of tinnitus was 27.3%, and the predominant sources of noise annoyance in these subjects were aircraft, neighborhood, and road traffic noise. Overall, logistic regression results demonstrated consistent positive associations between annoyance due to different noise sources and prevalent risk of tinnitus with increases in odds ratios ranging from 4 to 11% after adjustment for sex, age, and socioeconomic status. Likewise, consistent increases in odds ratios were observed for tinnitus distress in subjects with prevalent tinnitus. For instance, neighborhood noise annoyance during the sleep was associated with a 26% increase in tinnitus distress (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13; 1.39). IMPACT This is the first study investigating the association between noise annoyance and tinnitus presence and distress in a large cohort of the general population. Our results indicate consistent and positive associations between various sources of noise annoyance and tinnitus. These unprecedented findings are highly relevant as noise annoyance and tinnitus are widespread. The precise etiology and locus of tinnitus remain unknown, but excessive noise exposure is thought to be among the major causes. This study suggests that transportation and neighborhood noise levels thought merely to contribute to annoyance and non-auditory health effects may be sufficient to cause or exacerbate tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Hahad
- Department of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Julia Döge
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Katharina Bahr-Hamm
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Manfred E Beutel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Konstantin Kontohow-Beckers
- Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Alexander K Schuster
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Karsten Keller
- Department of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Medical Clinic VII, Department of Sports Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lukas Hobohm
- Department of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Volker H Schmitt
- Department of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany
| | - Emilio Gianicolo
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Lecce, Italy
| | - Karl J Lackner
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Daiber
- Department of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany
| | - Philipp S Wild
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany
- Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
| | - Berit Hackenberg
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Münzel
- Department of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany
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Ghodratitoostani I, Vaziri Z, Miranda Neto M, de Giacomo Carneiro Barros C, Delbem ACB, Hyppolito MA, Jalilvand H, Louzada F, Leite JP. Conceptual framework for tinnitus: a cognitive model in practice. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7186. [PMID: 38531913 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48006-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Tinnitus is a conscious attended awareness perception of sourceless sound. Widespread theoretical and evidence-based neurofunctional and psychological models have tried to explain tinnitus-related distress considering the influence of psychological and cognitive factors. However, tinnitus models seem to be less focused on causality, thereby easily misleading interpretations. Also, they may be incapable of individualization. This study proposes a Conceptual Cognitive Framework (CCF) providing insight into cognitive mechanisms involved in the predisposition, precipitation, and perpetuation of tinnitus and consequent cognitive-emotional disturbances. The current CCF for tinnitus relies on evaluative conditional learning and appraisal, generating negative valence (emotional value) and arousal (cognitive value) to annoyance, distress, and distorted perception. The suggested methodology is well-defined, reproducible, and accessible, which can help foster future high-quality clinical databases. Perceived tinnitus through the perpetual-learning process can always lead to annoyance, but only in the clinical stage directly cause annoyance. In the clinical stage, tinnitus perception can lead indirectly to distress only with experiencing annoyance either with ("I n d - 1 C " = 1.87; 95% CI 1.18-2.72)["1st indirect path in the Clinical stage model": Tinnitus Loudness → Attention Bias → Cognitive-Emotional Value → Annoyance → Clinical Distress]or without ("I n d - 2 C "= 2.03; 95% CI 1.02-3.32)[ "2nd indirect path in the Clinical stage model": Tinnitus Loudness → Annoyance → Clinical Distress] the perpetual-learning process. Further real-life testing of the CCF is expected to express a meticulous, decision-supporting platform for cognitive rehabilitation and clinical interventions. Furthermore, the suggested methodology offers a reliable platform for CCF development in other cognitive impairments and supports the causal clinical data models. It may also enhance our knowledge of psychological disorders and complicated comorbidities by supporting the design of different rehabilitation interventions and comprehensive frameworks in line with the "preventive medicine" policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Ghodratitoostani
- Neurocognitive Engineering Laboratory (NEL), Center for Engineering Applied to Health, Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos, Brazil.
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil.
- Adjunct Scholar, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Zahra Vaziri
- Neurocognitive Engineering Laboratory (NEL), Center for Engineering Applied to Health, Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos, Brazil
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Milton Miranda Neto
- Neurocognitive Engineering Laboratory (NEL), Center for Engineering Applied to Health, Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos, Brazil
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Camila de Giacomo Carneiro Barros
- Neurocognitive Engineering Laboratory (NEL), Center for Engineering Applied to Health, Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos, Brazil
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Cláudio Botazzo Delbem
- Neurocognitive Engineering Laboratory (NEL), Center for Engineering Applied to Health, Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos, Brazil
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Miguel Angelo Hyppolito
- Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Hamid Jalilvand
- Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Francisco Louzada
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Joao Pereira Leite
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Cantuaria ML, Pedersen ER, Poulsen AH, Raaschou-Nielsen O, Hvidtfeldt UA, Levin G, Jensen SS, Schmidt JH, Sørensen M. Transportation Noise and Risk of Tinnitus: A Nationwide Cohort Study from Denmark. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:27001. [PMID: 36722980 PMCID: PMC9891135 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a growing body of evidence linking residential exposure to transportation noise with several nonauditory health outcomes. However, auditory outcomes, such as tinnitus, are virtually unexplored. OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the association between residential transportation noise and risk of incident tinnitus. METHODS We conducted a nationwide cohort study including all residents in Denmark age ≥30y, of whom 40,692 were diagnosed with tinnitus. We modeled road traffic and railway noise at the most (Ldenmax) and least (Ldenmin) exposed façades of all Danish addresses from 1990 until 2017. For all participants, we calculated 1-, 5-, and 10-y time-weighted mean noise exposure and retrieved detailed information on individual- and area-level socioeconomic covariates. We conducted analyses using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS We found positive associations between exposure to road traffic noise and risk of tinnitus, with hazard ratios of 1.06 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.08] and 1.02 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.03) per 10-dB increase in 10-y Ldenmin and Ldenmax, respectively. Highest risk estimates were found for women, people without a hearing loss, people with high education and income, and people who had never been in a blue-collar job. The association with road Ldenmin followed a positive, monotonic exposure-response relationship. We found no association between railway noise and tinnitus. DISCUSSION To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that residential exposure to road traffic noise may increase risk of tinnitus, suggesting noise may negatively affect the auditory system. If confirmed, this finding adds to the growing evidence of road traffic noise as a harmful pollutant with a substantial health burden. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11248.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuella Lech Cantuaria
- The Mærsk McKinney Møller Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Work, Environment and Cancer, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Ellen Raben Pedersen
- The Mærsk McKinney Møller Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Aslak Harbo Poulsen
- Work, Environment and Cancer, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ole Raaschou-Nielsen
- Work, Environment and Cancer, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ulla Arthur Hvidtfeldt
- Work, Environment and Cancer, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gregor Levin
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Jesper Hvass Schmidt
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Research Unit for ORL – Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- OPEN, Odense Patient Data Explorative Network, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Mette Sørensen
- Work, Environment and Cancer, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Natural Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark
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5
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Engelke M, Simões J, Vogel C, Schoisswohl S, Schecklmann M, Wölflick S, Pryss R, Probst T, Langguth B, Schlee W. Pilot study of a smartphone-based tinnitus therapy using structured counseling and sound therapy: A multiple-baseline design with ecological momentary assessment. PLOS DIGITAL HEALTH 2023; 2:e0000183. [PMID: 36812641 PMCID: PMC9931272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Tinnitus affects a considerable part of the population and develops into a severe disorder in some sufferers. App-based interventions are able to provide low-threshold, cost-effective, and location-independent care for tinnitus patients. Therefore, we developed a smartphone app combining structured counseling with sound therapy and conducted a pilot study to evaluate treatment compliance and symptom improvement (trial registration: DRKS00030007). Outcome variables were Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) measured tinnitus distress and loudness and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) at baseline and final visit. A multiple-baseline design with a baseline phase (only EMA) followed by an intervention phase (EMA and intervention) was applied. 21 patients with chronic tinnitus (≥ 6 months) were included. Overall compliance differed between modules (EMA usage: 79% of days, structured counseling: 72%, sound therapy: 32%). The THI score improved from baseline to final visit indicating a large effect (Cohens d = 1.1). Tinnitus distress and loudness did not improve significantly from baseline phase to the end of intervention phase. However, 5 of 14 (36%) improved clinically meaningful in tinnitus distress (ΔDistress ≥ 10) and 13 of 18 (72%) in THI score (ΔTHI ≥ 7). The positive relationship between tinnitus distress and loudness weakened over the course of the study. A trend but no level effect for tinnitus distress could be demonstrated by a mixed effect model. The improvement in THI was strongly associated with the improvement scores in EMA of tinnitus distress (r = -0.75; 0.86). These results indicate that app-based structured counseling combined with sound therapy is feasible, has an impact on tinnitus symptoms and reduces distress for several patients. In addition, our data suggest that EMA could be used as a measurement tool to detect changes in tinnitus symptoms in clinical trials as has already been shown in other areas of mental health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Engelke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Jorge Simões
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Carsten Vogel
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Schoisswohl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Martin Schecklmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stella Wölflick
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Pryss
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Probst
- Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Berthold Langguth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Winfried Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Institute for Information and Process Management, Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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Zhang M, Siegle GJ. Linking Affective and Hearing Sciences-Affective Audiology. Trends Hear 2023; 27:23312165231208377. [PMID: 37904515 PMCID: PMC10619363 DOI: 10.1177/23312165231208377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
A growing number of health-related sciences, including audiology, have increasingly recognized the importance of affective phenomena. However, in audiology, affective phenomena are mostly studied as a consequence of hearing status. This review first addresses anatomical and functional bidirectional connections between auditory and affective systems that support a reciprocal affect-hearing relationship. We then postulate, by focusing on four practical examples (hearing public campaigns, hearing intervention uptake, thorough hearing evaluation, and tinnitus), that some important challenges in audiology are likely affect-related and that potential solutions could be developed by inspiration from affective science advances. We continue by introducing useful resources from affective science that could help audiology professionals learn about the wide range of affective constructs and integrate them into hearing research and clinical practice in structured and applicable ways. Six important considerations for good quality affective audiology research are summarized. We conclude that it is worthwhile and feasible to explore the explanatory power of emotions, feelings, motivations, attitudes, moods, and other affective processes in depth when trying to understand and predict how people with hearing difficulties perceive, react, and adapt to their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Clinical Geriatric Medicine, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Greg J. Siegle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Bacri T, Berentsen GD, Bulla J, Hølleland S. A gentle tutorial on accelerated parameter and confidence interval estimation for hidden Markov models using Template Model Builder. Biom J 2022; 64:1260-1288. [PMID: 35621152 PMCID: PMC9796807 DOI: 10.1002/bimj.202100256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
A very common way to estimate the parameters of a hidden Markov model (HMM) is the relatively straightforward computation of maximum likelihood (ML) estimates. For this task, most users rely on user-friendly implementation of the estimation routines via an interpreted programming language such as the statistical software environment R. Such an approach can easily require time-consuming computations, in particular for longer sequences of observations. In addition, selecting a suitable approach for deriving confidence intervals for the estimated parameters is not entirely obvious, and often the computationally intensive bootstrap methods have to be applied. In this tutorial, we illustrate how to speed up the computation of ML estimates significantly via the R package TMB. Moreover, this approach permits simple retrieval of standard errors at the same time. We illustrate the performance of our routines using different data sets: first, two smaller samples from a mobile application for tinnitus patients and a well-known data set of fetal lamb movements with 87 and 240 data points, respectively. Second, we rely on larger data sets of simulated data of sizes 2000 and 5000 for further analysis. This tutorial is accompanied by a collection of scripts, which are all available in the Supporting Information. These scripts allow any user with moderate programming experience to benefit quickly from the computational advantages of TMB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothée Bacri
- Department of MathematicsUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
| | - Geir D. Berentsen
- Department of Business and Management ScienceNorwegian School of EconomicsHelleveienBergenNorway
| | - Jan Bulla
- Department of MathematicsUniversity of BergenBergenNorway,Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyUniversity of RegensburgUniversitätsstraßeRegensburgGermany
| | - Sondre Hølleland
- Department of Business and Management ScienceNorwegian School of EconomicsHelleveienBergenNorway,Department of Pelagic FishInstitute of Marine ResearchBergenNorway
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Vittorini P, Chamoso P, De la Prieta F. A device and an app for the diagnosis and self-management of tinnitus. J Integr Bioinform 2022; 19:jib-2022-0004. [PMID: 36039680 PMCID: PMC9534487 DOI: 10.1515/jib-2022-0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Tinnitus is an annoying ringing in the ears, in varying shades and intensities. Tinnitus can affect a person’s overall health and social well-being (e.g., sleep problems, trouble concentrating, anxiety, depression and inability to work). The diagnostic procedure of tinnitus usually consists of three steps: an audiological examination, psychoacoustic measurement, and a disability evaluation. All steps are performed by physicians, who use specialised hardware/software and administer questionnaires. This paper presents a system, to be used by patients, for the diagnosis and self-management of tinnitus. The system is made up of an app and a device. The app is responsible for executing – through the device – a part of the required audiological and psychoacoustic examinations, as well as administering questionnaires that evaluate disability. The paper reviews the quality of the automated audiometric reporting and the user experience provided by the app. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to support the findings. The results show that automated reporting is comparable with that of physicians and that user experience was improved by re-designing and re-developing the acufenometry of the app. As for the user experience, two experts in Human-Computer Interaction evaluated the first version of the app: their agreement was good (Cohen’s K = 0.639) and the average rating of the app was 1.43/2. Also patients evaluated the app in its initial version: the satisfactory tasks (audiometry and questionnaires) were rated as 4.31/5 and 4.65/5. The unsatisfactory task (acufenometry) was improved and the average rating increased from 2.86/5 to 3.96/5 (p = 0.0005). Finally, the general usability of the app was increased from the initial value of 73.6/100 to 85.4/100 (p = 0.0003). The strengths of the project are twofold. Firstly, the automated reporting feature, which – to the best of our knowledge – is the first attempt in this area. Secondly, the overall app usability, which was evaluated and improved during its development. In summary, the conclusion drawn from the conducted project is that the system works as expected, and despite some weaknesses, also the replication of the device would not be expensive, and it can be used in different scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierpaolo Vittorini
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Pablo Chamoso
- IBSAL/BISITE Research Group, University of Salamanca, Calle Espejo 12, Edificio I+D+i, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Fernando De la Prieta
- IBSAL/BISITE Research Group, University of Salamanca, Calle Espejo 12, Edificio I+D+i, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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9
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American Cochlear Implant Alliance Task Force Guidelines for Clinical Assessment and Management of Adult Cochlear Implantation for Single-Sided Deafness. Ear Hear 2022; 43:1605-1619. [PMID: 35994570 PMCID: PMC9592177 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000001260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The indications for cochlear implantation have expanded to include individuals with profound sensorineural hearing loss in the impaired ear and normal hearing (NH) in the contralateral ear, known as single-sided deafness (SSD). There are additional considerations for the clinical assessment and management of adult cochlear implant candidates and recipients with SSD as compared to conventional cochlear implant candidates with bilateral moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss. The present report reviews the current evidence relevant to the assessment and management of adults with SSD. A systematic review was also conducted on published studies that investigated outcomes of cochlear implant use on measures of speech recognition in quiet and noise, sound source localization, tinnitus perception, and quality of life for this patient population. Expert consensus and systematic review of the current literature were combined to provide guidance for the clinical assessment and management of adults with SSD.
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10
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Simoes J, Bulla J, Neff P, Pryss R, Marcrum SC, Langguth B, Schlee W. Daily Contributors of Tinnitus Loudness and Distress: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:883665. [PMID: 35864989 PMCID: PMC9294456 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.883665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundTinnitus is a heterogeneous condition which may be associated with moderate to severe disability, but the reasons why only a subset of individuals is burdened by the condition are not fully clear. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) allows a better understanding of tinnitus by capturing the fluctuations of tinnitus symptoms, such as distress and loudness, and psychological processes, such as emotional arousal, overall stress, mood, and concentration and how these variables interact over time. Whether any of those variables have an influence over the next day, that is, whether any of these variables are auto- or cross-correlated, is still unanswered.ObjectivesAssess whether behavioral and symptom-related data from tinnitus users from the TrackYourTinnitus (TYT) mobile app have an impact on tinnitus loudness and distress on subsequent days.MethodsAnonymized data was collected from 278 users of the iOS or Android TYT apps between 2014 and 2020. Tinnitus-related distress, tinnitus loudness, concentration level, mood, emotional arousal, and overall stress level were assessed using either a slider or the Wong-Baker Pain FACES scale via a daily survey. Three modeling strategies were used to investigate whether tinnitus loudness and distress are affected by previous days symptoms or psychological processes: auto- and cross correlations, regressions with elastic net regularization, and subgrouping within group iterative multiple model estimation (S-GIMME).ResultsNo autocorrelation or cross-correlation was observed at the group level between the variables assessed. However, application of the regression models with elastic net regularization identified individualized predictors of tinnitus loudness and distress for most participants, with the models including contemporaneous and lagged information from the previous day. S-GIMME corroborated these findings by identifying individualized predictors of tinnitus loudness and distress from the previous day.DiscussionWe showed that tinnitus loudness and tinnitus distress are affected by the contemporaneous and lagged dynamics of behavioral and emotional processes measured through EMA. These effects were seen at the group, and individual levels. The relevance EMA and the implications of the insights derived from it for tinnitus care are discussed, especially considering current trends toward the individualization of tinnitus care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Simoes
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Jorge Simoes
| | - Jan Bulla
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Mathematics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Patrick Neff
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Center for Neuroprosthetics, Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Psychology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Rüdiger Pryss
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Steven C. Marcrum
- Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Berthold Langguth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Winfried Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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A systematic review of engagement reporting in remote measurement studies for health symptom tracking. NPJ Digit Med 2022; 5:82. [PMID: 35768544 PMCID: PMC9242990 DOI: 10.1038/s41746-022-00624-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Remote Measurement Technologies (RMTs) could revolutionise management of chronic health conditions by providing real-time symptom tracking. However, the promise of RMTs relies on user engagement, which at present is variably reported in the field. This review aimed to synthesise the RMT literature to identify how and to what extent engagement is defined, measured, and reported, and to present recommendations for the standardisation of future work. Seven databases (Embase, MEDLINE and PsycINFO (via Ovid), PubMed, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched in July 2020 for papers using RMT apps for symptom monitoring in adults with a health condition, prompting users to track at least three times during the study period. Data were synthesised using critical interpretive synthesis. A total of 76 papers met the inclusion criteria. Sixty five percent of papers did not include a definition of engagement. Thirty five percent included both a definition and measurement of engagement. Four synthetic constructs were developed for measuring engagement: (i) engagement with the research protocol, (ii) objective RMT engagement, (iii) subjective RMT engagement, and (iv) interactions between objective and subjective RMT engagement. The field is currently impeded by incoherent measures and a lack of consideration for engagement definitions. A process for implementing the reporting of engagement in study design is presented, alongside a framework for definition and measurement options available. Future work should consider engagement with RMTs as distinct from the wider eHealth literature, and measure objective versus subjective RMT engagement.Registration: This review has been registered on PROSPERO [CRD42020192652].
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Shahania S, Unnikrishnan V, Pryss R, Kraft R, Schobel J, Hannemann R, Schlee W, Spiliopoulou M. Predicting Ecological Momentary Assessments in an App for Tinnitus by Learning From Each User's Stream With a Contextual Multi-Armed Bandit. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:836834. [PMID: 35478848 PMCID: PMC9037687 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.836834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMA) deliver insights on how patients perceive tinnitus at different times and how they are affected by it. Moving to the next level, an mHealth app can support users more directly by predicting a user's next EMA and recommending personalized services based on these predictions. In this study, we analyzed the data of 21 users who were exposed to an mHealth app with non-personalized recommendations, and we investigate ways of predicting the next vector of EMA answers. We studied the potential of entity-centric predictors that learn for each user separately and neighborhood-based predictors that learn for each user separately but take also similar users into account, and we compared them to a predictor that learns from all past EMA indiscriminately, without considering which user delivered which data, i.e., to a "global model." Since users were exposed to two versions of the non-personalized recommendations app, we employed a Contextual Multi-Armed Bandit (CMAB), which chooses the best predictor for each user at each time point, taking each user's group into account. Our analysis showed that the combination of predictors into a CMAB achieves good performance throughout, since the global model was chosen at early time points and for users with few data, while the entity-centric, i.e., user-specific, predictors were used whenever the user had delivered enough data-the CMAB chose itself when the data were "enough." This flexible setting delivered insights on how user behavior can be predicted for personalization, as well as insights on the specific mHealth data. Our main findings are that for EMA prediction the entity-centric predictors should be preferred over a user-insensitive global model and that the choice of EMA items should be further investigated because some items are answered more rarely than others. Albeit our CMAB-based prediction workflow is robust to differences in exposition and interaction intensity, experimentators that design studies with mHealth apps should be prepared to quantify and closely monitor differences in the intensity of user-app interaction, since users with many interactions may have a disproportionate influence on global models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saijal Shahania
- Knowledge Management and Discovery Lab, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Vishnu Unnikrishnan
- Knowledge Management and Discovery Lab, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Pryss
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robin Kraft
- Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Johannes Schobel
- DigiHealth Institute, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences, Neu-Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Winny Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Myra Spiliopoulou
- Knowledge Management and Discovery Lab, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
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13
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Milinski L, Nodal FR, Vyazovskiy VV, Bajo VM. Tinnitus: at a crossroad between phantom perception and sleep. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac089. [PMID: 35620170 PMCID: PMC9128384 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory disconnection from the environment is a hallmark of sleep and is crucial
for sleep maintenance. It remains unclear, however, whether internally generated
percepts—phantom percepts—may overcome such disconnection and, in
turn, how sleep and its effect on sensory processing and brain plasticity may
affect the function of the specific neural networks underlying such phenomena. A
major hurdle in addressing this relationship is the methodological difficulty to
study sensory phantoms, due to their subjective nature and lack of control over
the parameters or neural activity underlying that percept. Here, we explore the
most prevalent phantom percept, subjective tinnitus—or tinnitus for
short—as a model to investigate this. Tinnitus is the permanent
perception of a sound with no identifiable corresponding acoustic source. This
review offers a novel perspective on the functional interaction between brain
activity across the sleep–wake cycle and tinnitus. We discuss
characteristic features of brain activity during tinnitus in the awake and the
sleeping brain and explore its effect on sleep functions and homeostasis. We ask
whether local changes in cortical activity in tinnitus may overcome sensory
disconnection and prevent the occurrence of global restorative sleep and, in
turn, how accumulating sleep pressure may temporarily alleviate the persistence
of a phantom sound. Beyond an acute interaction between sleep and neural
activity, we discuss how the effects of sleep on brain plasticity may contribute
to aberrant neural circuit activity and promote tinnitus consolidation. Tinnitus
represents a unique window into understanding the role of sleep in sensory
processing. Clarification of the underlying relationship may offer novel
insights into therapeutic interventions in tinnitus management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linus Milinski
- University of Oxford, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Fernando R. Nodal
- University of Oxford, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Vladyslav V. Vyazovskiy
- University of Oxford, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Victoria M. Bajo
- University of Oxford, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
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Schlee W, Simoes J, Pryss R. Auricular Acupressure Combined with Self-Help Intervention for Treating Chronic Tinnitus: A Longitudinal Observational Study. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10184201. [PMID: 34575312 PMCID: PMC8466364 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10184201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tinnitus is a phantom sound perception in the ears or head and can arise from many different medical disorders. Currently, there is no standard treatment for tinnitus that reliably reduces tinnitus. Individual patients reported that acupressure at various points around the ear can help to reduce tinnitus, which was investigated here. With this longitudinal observational study, we report a systematic evaluation of auricular acupressure on 39 tinnitus sufferers, combined with a self-help smartphone app. The participants were asked to report on tinnitus, stress, mood, neck, and jaw muscle tensions twice a day using an ecological momentary assessment study design for six weeks. On average, 123.6 questionnaires per person were provided and used for statistical analysis. The treatment responses of the participants were heterogeneous. On average, we observed significant negative trends for tinnitus loudness (Cohen’s d effect size: −0.861), tinnitus distress (d = −0.478), stress (d = −0.675), and tensions in the neck muscles (d = −0.356). Comparison with a matched control group revealed significant improvements for tinnitus loudness (p = 0.027) and self-reported stress level (p = 0.003). The positive results of the observational study motivate further research including a randomized clinical trial and long-term assessment of the clinical improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winfried Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany;
- Correspondence:
| | - Jorge Simoes
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany;
| | - Rüdiger Pryss
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany;
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15
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Searchfield GD, Sanders PJ, Doborjeh Z, Doborjeh M, Boldu R, Sun K, Barde A. A State-of-Art Review of Digital Technologies for the Next Generation of Tinnitus Therapeutics. Front Digit Health 2021; 3:724370. [PMID: 34713191 PMCID: PMC8522011 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2021.724370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Digital processing has enabled the development of several generations of technology for tinnitus therapy. The first digital generation was comprised of digital Hearing Aids (HAs) and personal digital music players implementing already established sound-based therapies, as well as text based information on the internet. In the second generation Smart-phone applications (apps) alone or in conjunction with HAs resulted in more therapy options for users to select from. The 3rd generation of digital tinnitus technologies began with the emergence of many novel, largely neurophysiologically-inspired, treatment theories that drove development of processing; enabled through HAs, apps, the internet and stand-alone devices. We are now of the cusp of a 4th generation that will incorporate physiological sensors, multiple transducers and AI to personalize therapies. Aim: To review technologies that will enable the next generations of digital therapies for tinnitus. Methods: A "state-of-the-art" review was undertaken to answer the question: what digital technology could be applied to tinnitus therapy in the next 10 years? Google Scholar and PubMed were searched for the 10-year period 2011-2021. The search strategy used the following key words: "tinnitus" and ["HA," "personalized therapy," "AI" (and "methods" or "applications"), "Virtual reality," "Games," "Sensors" and "Transducers"], and "Hearables." Snowballing was used to expand the search from the identified papers. The results of the review were cataloged and organized into themes. Results: This paper identified digital technologies and research on the development of smart therapies for tinnitus. AI methods that could have tinnitus applications are identified and discussed. The potential of personalized treatments and the benefits of being able to gather data in ecologically valid settings are outlined. Conclusions: There is a huge scope for the application of digital technology to tinnitus therapy, but the uncertain mechanisms underpinning tinnitus present a challenge and many posited therapeutic approaches may not be successful. Personalized AI modeling based on biometric measures obtained through various sensor types, and assessments of individual psychology and lifestyles should result in the development of smart therapy platforms for tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant D. Searchfield
- Section of Audiology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Eisdell Moore Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Philip J. Sanders
- Section of Audiology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Eisdell Moore Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Zohreh Doborjeh
- Section of Audiology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Eisdell Moore Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Maryam Doborjeh
- School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Roger Boldu
- Augmented Human Laboratory, Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kevin Sun
- Section of Audiology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Amit Barde
- Empathic Computing Laboratory, Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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16
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Genitsaridi E, Dode A, Qirjazi B, Mehdi M, Pryss R, Probst T, Reichert M, Hauck F, Hall DA. An Albanian translation of a questionnaire for self-reported tinnitus assessment. Int J Audiol 2021; 61:515-519. [PMID: 34182868 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2021.1933221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To our knowledge, there is no published study investigating the characteristics of people experiencing tinnitus in Albania. Such a study would be important, providing the basis for further research in this region and contributing to a wider understanding of tinnitus heterogeneity across different geographic locations. The main objective of this study was to develop an Albanian translation of a standardised questionnaire for tinnitus research, namely the European School for Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research-Screening Questionnaire (ESIT-SQ). A secondary objective was to assess its applicability and usefulness by conducting an exploratory survey on a small sample of the Albanian tinnitus population. DESIGN AND STUDY SAMPLE Three translators were recruited to create the Albanian ESIT-SQ translation following good practice guidelines. Using this questionnaire, data from 107 patients attending otolaryngology clinics in Albania were collected. RESULTS Participants reporting various degrees of tinnitus symptom severity had distinct phenotypic characteristics. Application of a random forest approach on this preliminary dataset showed that self-reported hearing difficulty, and tinnitus duration, pitch and temporal manifestation were important variables for predicting tinnitus symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS Our study provided an Albanian translation of the ESIT-SQ and demonstrated that it is a useful tool for tinnitus profiling and subgrouping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Genitsaridi
- Hearing Sciences, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,National Institute for Health Research, Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - Albi Dode
- Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Birkena Qirjazi
- Department of ENT, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - Muntazir Mehdi
- Institute of Distributed Systems, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Pryss
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Probst
- Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Manfred Reichert
- Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Franz Hauck
- Institute of Distributed Systems, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Deborah Ann Hall
- Hearing Sciences, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,National Institute for Health Research, Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK.,Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia
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17
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Schlee W. Wie geht es Tinnituspatienten in der Coronapandemie? HNO NACHRICHTEN 2021; 51:24-29. [PMID: 34177021 PMCID: PMC8215320 DOI: 10.1007/s00060-021-7570-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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18
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Pryss R, Langguth B, Probst T, Schlee W, Spiliopoulou M, Reichert M. Editorial: Smart Mobile Data Collection in the Context of Neuroscience. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:698597. [PMID: 34113236 PMCID: PMC8185150 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.698597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rüdiger Pryss
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Berthold Langguth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Probst
- Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Winfried Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Myra Spiliopoulou
- Institute of Technical and Business Information Systems, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Reichert
- Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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Using a visual analog scale (VAS) to measure tinnitus-related distress and loudness: Investigating correlations using the Mini-TQ results of participants from the TrackYourTinnitus platform. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2021; 263:171-190. [PMID: 34243888 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tinnitus, a perception of ringing and buzzing sound in the ear, has not been completely understood yet. It is well known that tinnitus-related distress and loudness can change over time. However, proper comparability for the data collection approaches requires further focused studies. In this context, technology such as the use of mobile devices may be a promising approach. Repeated assessments of tinnitus-related distress and loudness in Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) studies require a short assessment, and a Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) is often used in this context. Yet, their comparability with psychometric questionnaires remains unclear and thus was the focus of this study. Research goals: The evaluation of the appropriateness of VAS in measuring tinnitus-related distress and loudness is pursued in this paper. METHODS The Mini Tinnitus Questionnaire (Mini-TQ) measured tinnitus-related distress once. Tinnitus-related distress and tinnitus loudness were measured repeatedly using VAS on a daily basis during 7 days in the TrackYourTinnitus (TYT) smartphone app and were summarized per day using mean and median results. Then, correlations between summarized VAS tinnitus-related distress and summarized VAS tinnitus loudness, on the one side, and Mini-TQ, on the other side, were calculated. RESULTS Correlations between Mini-TQ and VAS tinnitus-related distress ranged between r = 0.36 and r = 0.52, while correlations between Mini-TQ and VAS tinnitus loudness ranged between r = 0.25 and r = 0.36. The more time difference between the Mini-TQ and the VAS assessments is, the lower the correlations between them. Mean and median VAS values per day resulted in similar correlations. CONCLUSIONS Mobile-based VAS seems to be an appropriate approach to utilize daily measurements of tinnitus-related distress.
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von Gablenz P, Kowalk U, Bitzer J, Meis M, Holube I. Individual Hearing Aid Benefit in Real Life Evaluated Using Ecological Momentary Assessment. Trends Hear 2021; 25:2331216521990288. [PMID: 33787404 PMCID: PMC8020740 DOI: 10.1177/2331216521990288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) was used in 24 adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss who were seeking first hearing-aid (HA) fitting or HA renewal. At two stages in the aural rehabilitation process, just before HA fitting and after an average 3-month HA adjustment period, the participants used a smartphone-based EMA system for 3 to 4 days. A questionnaire app allowed for the description of the environmental context as well as assessments of various hearing-related dimensions and of well-being. In total, 2,042 surveys were collected. The main objectives of the analysis were threefold: First, describing the "auditory reality" of future and experienced HA users; second, examining the effects of HA fitting for individual participants, as well as for the subgroup of first-time HA-users; and third, reviewing whether the EMA data collected in the unaided condition predicted who ultimately decided for or against permanent HA use. The participants reported hearing-related disabilities across the full range of daily listening tasks, but communication events took the largest share. The effect of the HA intervention was small in experienced HA users. Generally, much larger changes and larger interindividual differences were observed in first-time compared with experienced HA users in all hearing-related dimensions. Changes were not correlated with hearing loss or with the duration of the HA adjustment period. EMA data collected in the unaided condition did not predict the cancelation of HA fitting. The study showed that EMA is feasible in a general population of HA candidates for establishing individual and multidimensional profiles of real-life hearing experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra von Gablenz
- Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology, Jade University of Applied Sciences and Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all," Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Ulrik Kowalk
- Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology, Jade University of Applied Sciences and Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all," Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Bitzer
- Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology, Jade University of Applied Sciences and Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all," Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Markus Meis
- Hörzentrum Oldenburg GmbH, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Inga Holube
- Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology, Jade University of Applied Sciences and Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all," Oldenburg, Germany
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21
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Kikidis D, Vassou E, Schlee W, Iliadou E, Markatos N, Triantafyllou A, Langguth B. Methodological Aspects of Randomized Controlled Trials for Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and How a Decision Support System Could Overcome Barriers. J Clin Med 2021; 10:1737. [PMID: 33923778 PMCID: PMC8074073 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10081737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Although a wide range of tinnitus management interventions is currently under research and a variety of therapeutic interventions have already been applied in clinical practice, no optimal and universal tinnitus treatment has been reached yet. This fact is to some extent a consequence of the high heterogeneity of the methodologies used in tinnitus related clinical studies. In this manuscript, we have identified, summarized, and critically appraised tinnitus-related randomized clinical trials since 2010, aiming at systematically mapping the research conducted in this area. The results of our analysis of the 73 included randomized clinical trials provide important insight on the identification of limitations of previous works, methodological pitfalls or gaps in current knowledge, a prerequisite for the adequate interpretation of current literature and execution of future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Kikidis
- First Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hippokration General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece; (E.V.); (E.I.); (N.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Evgenia Vassou
- First Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hippokration General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece; (E.V.); (E.I.); (N.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Winfried Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universität Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (W.S.); (B.L.)
| | - Eleftheria Iliadou
- First Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hippokration General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece; (E.V.); (E.I.); (N.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Nikolaos Markatos
- First Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hippokration General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece; (E.V.); (E.I.); (N.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Aikaterini Triantafyllou
- First Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hippokration General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece; (E.V.); (E.I.); (N.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Berthold Langguth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universität Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (W.S.); (B.L.)
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22
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Simões JP, Neff PKA, Langguth B, Schlee W, Schecklmann M. The progression of chronic tinnitus over the years. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4162. [PMID: 33602995 PMCID: PMC7892997 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83068-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the trajectory of tinnitus over time. This study addressed (1) how often tinnitus remitted in patients with chronic tinnitus; (2) how subjective reported tinnitus characteristics, such as loudness, laterality, and type and measures of burden, such as tinnitus distress, depression, and quality of life, changes over time; (3) how often tinnitus-specific treatments were undertaken and the prevalence of comorbidities, (4) if the number of treatments and comorbidities were associated to changes in tinnitus distress over time. Data from 388 patients with chronic tinnitus who visited a tertiary tinnitus clinic between 2012 and 2017 were interrogated via a mail survey in 2018. Tinnitus characteristics were measured with the Tinnitus Sample Case History Questionnaire and numeric rating scales; tinnitus distress with Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and the Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ), depression with the Major Depression Inventory and Quality of life with the World Health Organisation Quality of Life BREF at both time points and the clinical global impression scale. Comorbidities experienced and undertaken treatments were assessed with an in-house survey. Three participants (0.8% of the sample) reported tinnitus remission between both assessments. A decrease in the THI and TQ, and numeric ratings for tinnitus severity, annoyance, unpleasantness, and discomfort was observed, but no differences in tinnitus characteristics, depression, quality of life or overall health status. 64% presented at least one comorbidity, and 88% sought at least on tinnitus-specific treatment. Common comorbidities were psychological and sleeping problems, and the most common interventions were going to the dentist, taking medications, and wearing hearing aids. Our results suggest that full remission of tinnitus is a rare condition, that tinnitus distress on average decreases over time, and that tinnitus characteristics, quality of life, and depression tend to remain unaltered. The high number of interventions and comorbidities displayed minimal association to the changes in tinnitus distress, highlighting the substantial and durable burden of tinnitus sufferers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge P Simões
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Patrick K A Neff
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,University Research Priority Program 'Dynamics of Healthy Aging', University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Berthold Langguth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Winfried Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Martin Schecklmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Abstract
This volume has highlighted the many recent advances in tinnitus theory, models, diagnostics, therapies, and therapeutics. But tinnitus knowledge is far from complete. In this chapter, contributors to the Behavioral Neuroscience of Tinnitus consider emerging topics and areas of research needed in light of recent findings. New research avenues and methods to explore are discussed. Issues pertaining to current assessment, treatment, and research methods are outlined, along with recommendations on new avenues to explore with research.
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The Effect of Non-Personalised Tips on the Continued Use of Self-Monitoring mHealth Applications. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10120924. [PMID: 33266315 PMCID: PMC7760069 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic tinnitus, the perception of a phantom sound in the absence of corresponding stimulus, is a condition known to affect patients’ quality of life. Recent advances in mHealth have enabled patients to maintain a ‘disease journal’ of ecologically-valid momentary assessments, improving patients’ own awareness of their disease while also providing clinicians valuable data for research. In this study, we investigate the effect of non-personalised tips on patients’ perception of tinnitus, and on their continued use of the application. The data collected from the study involved three groups of patients that used the app for 16 weeks. Groups A & Y were exposed to feedback from the start of the study, while group B only received tips for the second half of the study. Groups A and Y were run by different supervisors and also differed in the number of hospital visits during the study. Users of Group A and B underwent assessment at baseline, mid-study, post-study and follow-up, while users of group Y were only assessed at baseline and post-study. It is seen that the users in group B use the app for longer, and also more often during the day. The answers of the users to the Ecological Momentary Assessments are seen to form clusters where the degree to which the tinnitus distress depends on tinnitus loudness varies. Additionally, cluster-level models were able to predict new unseen data with better accuracy than a single global model. This strengthens the argument that the discovered clusters really do reflect underlying patterns in disease expression.
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25
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Perin P, Mabou Tagne A, Enrico P, Marino F, Cosentino M, Pizzala R, Boselli C. Cannabinoids, Inner Ear, Hearing, and Tinnitus: A Neuroimmunological Perspective. Front Neurol 2020; 11:505995. [PMID: 33329293 PMCID: PMC7719758 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.505995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis has been used for centuries for recreational and therapeutic purposes. Whereas, the recreative uses are based on the psychotropic effect of some of its compounds, its therapeutic effects range over a wide spectrum of actions, most of which target the brain or the immune system. Several studies have found cannabinoid receptors in the auditory system, both at peripheral and central levels, thus raising the interest in cannabinoid signaling in hearing, and especially in tinnitus, which is affected also by anxiety, memory, and attention circuits where cannabinoid effects are well described. Available studies on animal models of tinnitus suggest that cannabinoids are not likely to be helpful in tinnitus treatment and could even be harmful. However, the pharmacology of cannabinoids is very complex, and most studies focused on neural CB1R-based responses. Cannabinoid effects on the immune system (where CB2Rs predominate) are increasingly recognized as essential in understanding nervous system pathological responses, and data on immune cannabinoid targets have emerged in the auditory system as well. In addition, nonclassical cannabinoid targets (such as TRP channels) appear to play an important role in the auditory system as well. This review will focus on neuroimmunological mechanisms for cannabinoid effects and their possible use as protective and therapeutic agents in the ear and auditory system, especially in tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Perin
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Roberto Pizzala
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Cinzia Boselli
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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Mehdi M, Dode A, Pryss R, Schlee W, Reichert M, Hauck FJ. Contemporary Review of Smartphone Apps for Tinnitus Management and Treatment. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10110867. [PMID: 33212928 PMCID: PMC7698350 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10110867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tinnitus is a complex and heterogeneous psycho-physiological disorder responsible for causing a phantom ringing or buzzing sound albeit the absence of an external sound source. It has a direct influence on affecting the quality of life of its sufferers. Despite being around for a while, there has not been a cure for tinnitus, and the usual course of action for its treatment involves use of tinnitus retaining and sound therapy, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). One positive aspect about these therapies is that they can be administered face-to-face as well as delivered via internet or smartphone. Smartphones are especially helpful as they are highly personalized devices, and offer a well-established ecosystem of apps, accessible via respective marketplaces of differing mobile platforms. Note that current therapeutic treatments such as CBT have shown to be effective in suppressing the tinnitus symptoms when administered face-to-face, their effectiveness when being delivered using smartphones is not known so far. A quick search on the prominent market places of popular mobile platforms (Android and iOS) yielded roughly 250 smartphone apps offering tinnitus-related therapies and tinnitus management. As this number is expected to steadily increase due to high interest in smartphone app development, a contemporary review of such apps is crucial. In this paper, we aim to review scientific studies validating the smartphone apps, particularly to test their effectiveness in tinnitus management and treatment. We use the PRISMA guidelines for identification of studies on major scientific literature sources and delineate the outcomes of identified studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muntazir Mehdi
- Institute of Distributed Systems, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (F.J.H.)
| | - Albi Dode
- Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (A.D.); (M.R.)
| | - Rüdiger Pryss
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany;
| | - Winfried Schlee
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 93053 Regensburg, Germany;
| | - Manfred Reichert
- Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (A.D.); (M.R.)
| | - Franz J. Hauck
- Institute of Distributed Systems, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (F.J.H.)
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27
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Ecological Momentary Assessment in Hearing Research: Current State, Challenges, and Future Directions. Ear Hear 2020; 41 Suppl 1:79S-90S. [DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000000934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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28
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Elarbed A, Fackrell K, Baguley DM, Hoare DJ. Tinnitus and stress in adults: a scoping review. Int J Audiol 2020; 60:171-182. [PMID: 33000672 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1827306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Tinnitus and stress are recurrently reported together. The strength and direction of this relationship is not clear. The aim of this review is to catalogue the evidence of this relationship, how it has been described in adults and which instruments were used. DESIGN Five-stage framework was followed. An online search of databases and published journals were conducted. The main inclusion criteria were original studies published in English and conducted in an adult human population, in which both tinnitus and stress were measured using different instruments. STUDY SAMPLES 5699 records were identified in the searching stage and 50 studies were eligible for data extraction. RESULTS Measurements of perceived stress were most frequently used. Tinnitus patients tend to report louder and more bothersome tinnitus when they are stressed, but not all tinnitus patients associated stress with the onset or the severity of their tinnitus. Any positive correlation reported between stress and tinnitus levels varied in strength according to the used instrument. Post-intervention changes in stress and tinnitus levels showed inconsistency. CONCLUSION There is considerable room for further research to study the relationship between stress and tinnitus. We highlight principal issues that should be considered in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Elarbed
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK.,Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Kathryn Fackrell
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK.,Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - David M Baguley
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK.,Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Derek J Hoare
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK.,Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Fluctuations in Subjective Tinnitus Ratings Over Time: Implications for Clinical Research. Otol Neurotol 2020; 41:e1167-e1173. [PMID: 32925865 DOI: 10.1097/mao.0000000000002759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Patients with chronic, subjective tinnitus are often administered a battery of audiometric tests to characterize their tinnitus percept. Even a comprehensive battery, if applied just once, cannot capture fluctuations in tinnitus strength or quality over time. Moreover, subjects experience a learning curve when reporting the detailed characteristics of their tinnitus percept, such that a single assessment will reflect a lack of familiarity with test requirements. We addressed these challenges by programming an automated software platform for at-home tinnitus characterization over a 2-week period. STUDY DESIGN Prospective case series. SETTING Tertiary referral center, patients' homes. INTERVENTIONS Following an initial clinic visit, 25 subjects with chronic subjective tinnitus returned home with a tablet computer and calibrated headphones to complete questionnaires, hearing tests, and tinnitus psychoacoustic testing. We repeatedly characterized loudness discomfort levels and tinnitus matching over a 2-week period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcomes included intrasubject variability in loudness discomfort levels, tinnitus intensity, and tinnitus acoustic matching over the course of testing. RESULTS Within-subject variability for all outcome measures could be reduced by approximately 25 to 50% by excluding initial measurements and by focusing only on tinnitus matching attempts where subjects report high confidence in the accuracy of their ratings. CONCLUSIONS Tinnitus self-report is inherently variable but can converge on reliable values with extended testing. Repeated, self-directed tinnitus assessments may have implications for identifying malingerers. Further, these findings suggest that extending the baseline phase of tinnitus characterizations will increase the statistical power for future studies focused on tinnitus interventions.
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30
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Sanchez TG, Valim CCA, Schlee W. Long-lasting total remission of tinnitus: A systematic collection of cases. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2020; 260:269-282. [PMID: 33637222 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2020.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical observation suggests that total remission of tinnitus may exist, but a systematic analysis of these cases is missing. We aimed to identify subjects with long lasting total remission of tinnitus. METHODS By publishing announcements, we included volunteers of any gender and age who have had daily perception of tinnitus for over 3 months and have been in total remission (lack of tinnitus perception, even in silence and with deliberate attention to it) for over 6 months. We excluded individuals in a state of habituation or masking. We applied a structured interview to standardize information about tinnitus and its remission. Follow-up interviews took place after 6, 12, and 18 months. RESULTS Eighty individuals (56 females; age=54.2±16.8 years) were included. History of bilateral tinnitus accounted for 51.4% of cases. Total remission occurred in subjects whose tinnitus lasted for 49.0±73.5 months. Remission occurred gradually in 78.6% of cases and suddenly in 22%. During the further 18-month follow-up, 7.9% reported recurrence of tinnitus and 92.1% remained symptom free. CONCLUSION Different than the knowledge obtained from clinical trials, this study showed that long-lasting total remission of tinnitus may occur. This status was reached by individuals of any gender and age range, with any location and duration of tinnitus, mostly as a gradual process. Future studies should better clarify how each treatment modality may achieve the best results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanit Ganz Sanchez
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil; Instituto Ganz Sanchez, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | | | - Winfried Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Bezirksklinikum, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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31
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Pryss R, Schlee W, Hoppenstedt B, Reichert M, Spiliopoulou M, Langguth B, Breitmayer M, Probst T. Applying Machine Learning to Daily-Life Data From the TrackYourTinnitus Mobile Health Crowdsensing Platform to Predict the Mobile Operating System Used With High Accuracy: Longitudinal Observational Study. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e15547. [PMID: 32602842 PMCID: PMC7367527 DOI: 10.2196/15547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tinnitus is often described as the phantom perception of a sound and is experienced by 5.1% to 42.7% of the population worldwide, at least once during their lifetime. The symptoms often reduce the patient's quality of life. The TrackYourTinnitus (TYT) mobile health (mHealth) crowdsensing platform was developed for two operating systems (OS)-Android and iOS-to help patients demystify the daily moment-to-moment variations of their tinnitus symptoms. In all platforms developed for more than one OS, it is important to investigate whether the crowdsensed data predicts the OS that was used in order to understand the degree to which the OS is a confounder that is necessary to consider. OBJECTIVE In this study, we explored whether the mobile OS-Android and iOS-used during user assessments can be predicted by the dynamic daily-life TYT data. METHODS TYT mainly applies the paradigms ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and mobile crowdsensing to collect dynamic EMA (EMA-D) daily-life data. The dynamic daily-life TYT data that were analyzed included eight questions as part of the EMA-D questionnaire. In this study, 518 TYT users were analyzed, who each completed at least 11 EMA-D questionnaires. Out of these, 221 were iOS users and 297 were Android users. The iOS users completed, in total, 14,708 EMA-D questionnaires; the number of EMA-D questionnaires completed by the Android users was randomly reduced to the same number to properly address the research question of the study. Machine learning methods-a feedforward neural network, a decision tree, a random forest classifier, and a support vector machine-were applied to address the research question. RESULTS Machine learning was able to predict the mobile OS used with an accuracy up to 78.94% based on the provided EMA-D questionnaires on the assessment level. In this context, the daily measurements regarding how users concentrate on the actual activity were particularly suitable for the prediction of the mobile OS used. CONCLUSIONS In the work at hand, two particular aspects have been revealed. First, machine learning can contribute to EMA-D data in the medical context. Second, based on the EMA-D data of TYT, we found that the accuracy in predicting the mobile OS used has several implications. Particularly, in clinical studies using mobile devices, the OS should be assessed as a covariate, as it might be a confounder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rüdiger Pryss
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Winfried Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Manfred Reichert
- Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Myra Spiliopoulou
- Faculty of Computer Science, Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Berthold Langguth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marius Breitmayer
- Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Probst
- Department for Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
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32
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Deutsch BC, Piccirillo JF. Momentary Analysis of Tinnitus: Considering the Patient. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2020; 51:383-401. [PMID: 32808091 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2020_176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Ecological momentary assessment is a valuable research technique meant to capture real-time data and contextualize disease. While more common in neuropsychiatric research, this methodology is exceptionally fit for tinnitus. Tinnitus has been shown to be affected by many patient-level and environment-specific factors. From an individual's baseline anxiety to the level of ambient noise in their environment, the level of bother experienced by those with tinnitus can vary widely. Only assessing tinnitus within a clinical environment can distort the true impact of the disease. Ecological data can minimize bias while generating an individualistic picture of the burden being experienced by the patient. Individual data can also compliment new research methods rooted in precision medicine, providing clearer, better-suited treatments for each patient on the tinnitus spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Deutsch
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA. .,Department of Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Jay F Piccirillo
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
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33
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Predicting the Health Condition of mHealth App Users with Large Differences in the Number of Recorded Observations - Where to Learn from? DISCOVERY SCIENCE 2020. [PMCID: PMC7556387 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-61527-7_43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Some mHealth apps record user activity continuously and unobtrusively, while other apps rely by nature on user engagement and self-discipline: users are asked to enter data that cannot be assessed otherwise, e.g., on how they feel and what non-measurable symptoms they have. Over time, this leads to substantial differences in the length of the time series of recordings for the different users. In this study, we propose two algorithms for wellbeing-prediction from such time series, and we compare their performance on the users of a pilot study on diabetic patients - with time series length varying between 8 and 87 recordings.
Our first approach learns a model from the few users, on which many recordings are available, and applies this model to predict the 2nd, 3rd, and so forth recording of users newly joining the mHealth platform. Our second approach rather exploits the similarity among the first few recordings of newly arriving users. Our results for the first approach indicate that the target variable for users who use the app for long are not predictive for users who use the app only for a short time. Our results for the second approach indicate that few initial recordings suffice to inform the predictive model and improve performance considerably.
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34
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Koizumi T, Suzuki T, Pillai NS, Bies RR, Takeuchi H, Yoshimura K, Mimura M, Uchida H. Circadian patterns of hallucinatory experiences in patients with schizophrenia: Potentials for chrono-pharmacology. J Psychiatr Res 2019; 117:1-6. [PMID: 31254838 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate possible circadian pattern of psychotic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, which could be reflected on the dosing schedule/regimen, i.e. chrono-pharmacology. Patients with schizophrenia (ICD-10) who reported having auditory hallucination, receiving monotherapy with risperidone, olanzapine or paliperidone for at least two weeks were included. The subjects were provided a diary and asked to record the time and duration of auditory hallucinations during the eight time periods (i.e. 00:00-03:00, 03:00-06:00, 06:00-09:00, 09:00-12:00, 12:00-15:00, 15:00-18:00, 18:00-21:00, and 21:00-24:00). In the diary, times of medication doses and sleep were also recorded. Time and degree of peak and trough dopamine D2 receptor blockade with antipsychotics were estimated from 2 sparsely collected plasma drug concentrations. The prevalence and duration of auditory hallucinations were statistically examined among the eight time periods, respectively. Forty-nine patients participated in this study (mean ± SD age, 50.7 ± 14.8 years; 36 men (73.5%); 34 inpatients (69.4%)). Auditory hallucinations occurred most frequently and lasted for the longest duration in the period of 18:00-21:00 (75.5% (37/49) and 1.37 ± 1.67 h). This happened despite the fact that the difference in D2 receptor occupancy between the peak and trough was less than 2%, indicating a stable drug delivery. Since the dopamine D2 receptor blockade by antipsychotics was stable, the nocturnal circadian pattern found in this study may reflect intrinsic dopaminergic fluctuation or generally quieter environments at night. These circadian patterns may be considered to devise individualized treatment approach in the context of "chrono-pharmacology" for patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teruki Koizumi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Psychiatry National Hospital Organization Shimofusa Psychiatric Medical Center, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takefumi Suzuki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Ethics. University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Nikhil Sasidharan Pillai
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Computational and Data Enabled Sciences Program, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Robert R Bies
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Computational and Data Enabled Sciences Program, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Hiroyoshi Takeuchi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Schizophrenia Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kimio Yoshimura
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaru Mimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Uchida
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Geriatric Mental Health Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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35
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McFerran DJ, Stockdale D, Holme R, Large CH, Baguley DM. Why Is There No Cure for Tinnitus? Front Neurosci 2019; 13:802. [PMID: 31447630 PMCID: PMC6691100 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tinnitus is unusual for such a common symptom in that there are few treatment options and those that are available are aimed at reducing the impact rather than specifically addressing the tinnitus percept. In particular, there is no drug recommended specifically for the management of tinnitus. Whilst some of the currently available interventions are effective at improving quality of life and reducing tinnitus-associated psychological distress, most show little if any effect on the primary symptom of subjective tinnitus loudness. Studies of the delivery of tinnitus services have demonstrated considerable end-user dissatisfaction and a marked disconnect between the aims of healthcare providers and those of tinnitus patients: patients want their tinnitus loudness reduced and would prefer a pharmacological solution over other modalities. Several studies have shown that tinnitus confers a significant financial burden on healthcare systems and an even greater economic impact on society as a whole. Market research has demonstrated a strong commercial opportunity for an effective pharmacological treatment for tinnitus, but the amount of tinnitus research and financial investment is small compared to other chronic health conditions. There is no single reason for this situation, but rather a series of impediments: tinnitus prevalence is unclear with published figures varying from 5.1 to 42.7%; there is a lack of a clear tinnitus definition and there are multiple subtypes of tinnitus, potentially requiring different treatments; there is a dearth of biomarkers and objective measures for tinnitus; treatment research is associated with a very large placebo effect; the pathophysiology of tinnitus is unclear; animal models are available but research in animals frequently fails to correlate with human studies; there is no clear definition of what constitutes meaningful change or "cure"; the pharmaceutical industry cannot see a clear pathway to distribute their products as many tinnitus clinicians are non-prescribing audiologists. To try and clarify this situation, highlight important areas for research and prevent wasteful duplication of effort, the British Tinnitus Association (BTA) has developed a Map of Tinnitus. This is a repository of evidence-based tinnitus knowledge, designed to be free to access, intuitive, easy to use, adaptable and expandable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Don J. McFerran
- Colchester General Hospital, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Colchester, United Kingdom
- British Tinnitus Association, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ralph Holme
- Action on Hearing Loss, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charles H. Large
- Autifony Therapeutics Limited, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, United Kingdom
| | - David M Baguley
- British Tinnitus Association, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Hearing Sciences, Division of Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Nottingham Audiology Services, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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Neff P, Zielonka L, Meyer M, Langguth B, Schecklmann M, Schlee W. Comparison of Amplitude Modulated Sounds and Pure Tones at the Tinnitus Frequency: Residual Tinnitus Suppression and Stimulus Evaluation. Trends Hear 2019; 23:2331216519833841. [PMID: 30871419 PMCID: PMC6421608 DOI: 10.1177/2331216519833841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have compared tinnitus suppression, or residual inhibition, between amplitude- and frequency-modulated (AM) sounds and noises or pure tones (PT). Results are indicative, yet inconclusive, of stronger tinnitus suppression of modulated sounds especially near the tinnitus frequency. Systematic comparison of AM sounds at the tinnitus frequency has not yet been studied in depth. The current study therefore aims at further advancing this line of research by contrasting tinnitus suppression profiles of AM and PT sounds at the matched tinnitus frequency (i.e., 10 and 40 Hz AM vs. PT). Participants with chronic, tonal tinnitus (n = 29) underwent comprehensive psychometric, audiometric, tinnitus matching, and acoustic stimulation procedures. Stimuli were presented for 3 minutes in two loudness regimes (60 dB sensation level [SL], minimum masking level [MML] + 6 dB, control sound: SL -6 dB) and amplitude modulated with 0, 10, or 40 Hz. Tinnitus loudness suppression was measured after the stimulation every 30 seconds. In addition, stimuli were rated regarding their valence and arousal. Results demonstrate only trends for better tinnitus suppression for the 10 Hz modulation and presentation level of 60 dB SL compared with PT, whereas nonsignificant results are reported for 40 Hz and MML + 6 dB, respectively. Furthermore, the 10 Hz AM at 60 dB SL and the 40 Hz AM at MML + 6 dB (trend) stimuli were better tolerated as elicited by valence ratings. We conclude that 10 Hz AM sounds at the tinnitus frequency may be useful to further elucidate the phenomenon of residual inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Neff
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Germany
- University Research Priority Program Dynamics of Healthy Aging, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Zielonka
- Department of Medicine, University of Regensburg, Germany
| | - Martin Meyer
- University Research Priority Program Dynamics of Healthy Aging, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- Tinnitus-Zentrum, Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Berthold Langguth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Germany
| | - Martin Schecklmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Germany
| | - Winfried Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Germany
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Cederroth CR, Dyhrfjeld-Johnsen J, Langguth B. An update: emerging drugs for tinnitus. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 2018; 23:251-260. [DOI: 10.1080/14728214.2018.1555240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Berthold Langguth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Clinic, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Prospective crowdsensing versus retrospective ratings of tinnitus variability and tinnitus–stress associations based on the TrackYourTinnitus mobile platform. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DATA SCIENCE AND ANALYTICS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s41060-018-0111-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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