Encouraging tinnitus research coming out of the U. of Michigan

Dear Group:

We don’t often hear about tinnitus research that offers much in the way of near-term applicability. A friend of mine who is the editor of a science journal told me about some new research that could be good news. I watched a talk on FaceBook Live about it on Friday. They said that scientists know tinnitus ringing occurs in the brain, where there are auditory neurons that are hyperactive. That’s the auditory pathway. A lot of tinnitus patients can alter the volume of their ringing by moving or pushing on their jaw, neck, or head. That’s the somatic pathway.

The Michigan researchers found a way to use both pathways, using sound and electrodes. They started with hamsters and influenced hyperactive neurons. Then they tested humans. Tinnitus subjects wore electrodes on their head/neck with an ear-piece for 30 minutes a day for 4 weeks. The results showed their ringing volume went down, and they got better TFI scores (tinnitus questionnaire), although not permanently.

The researchers have gotten NIH funding for a new clinical trial this fall, with a longer testing period. (To be a subject, you have to get screened and be tested once a week for 4-6 months, all in Ann Arbor Michigan.) If successful, the researchers will seek FDA approval and move toward commercial availability as soon as 2019-2020.

I am not a scientist, so I’ll be interested to know what the ATA or any scientists we have in the group would have to say. The journal is Science Translational Medicine, and the article is “Auditory-somatosensory bimodal stimulation desynchronizes brain circuitry to reduce tinnitus in guinea pigs and humans,” by Kendra Marks, David Martel, Calvin Wu et al.
Link to article: http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/10/422/eaal3175  

The half-hour FaceBook Live event with the researchers was recorded and is still posted here: https://www.facebook.com/ScienceTranslationalMedicine/videos/2411554129070271/

One more thing – HOLD the DATE – next group meeting is Thursday Feb. 1st (7 pm) at Potomac Audiology in Rockville/North Bethesda (White Flint). Details coming shortly.