April 2021: Vote on Your Favourite Research Paper!

We want to hear from you again! As per usual, we rounded up all the tinnitus related research papers from the previous month (April 2021) for you to vote on the "best" one. What does that mean? Well, just pick the one paper that you feel — from your personal perspective — adds the most value to tinnitus research.

As usual, @Frédéric dilligently compiled the list. He and @Aaron91 wrote the summaries together (see below). This is a tremendous undertaking and really meant to make your life easier in deciding your vote. You might know @Aaron91 from his high quality contributions to our Research News section. A big thank you to these wonderful volunteers!

If you want to see the original papers, just click on one of the titles below or open the attached PDF, where you'll find all the links.

A note on study #4: This is from Elouise Koops (PhD), who was the winner of our Daniel Ballinger Memorial Fund grant, which you can read about here. I believe, but am not 100% certain, that this paper is the result (partially) of our grant — I will double check this with Elouise!

Just a reminder: results will be shared with the research community, so your voice can make a difference

Tinnitus Research Papers Published in April 2021

1. Tinnitus and Its Central Correlates: A Neuroimaging Study in a Large Aging Population
This aim of this study was to elucidate the association between tinnitus and brain tissue volumes in a sample of 2,616 participants using MRI. It was found that tinnitus in older adults was associated with larger brain tissue volumes, driven by larger white matter volumes, independent of age, and hearing loss.

2. Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAEs) In Tinnitus Patients
The study investigated differences in distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) between 50 tinnitus patients with normal hearing and 30 normal hearing controls (without tinnitus). The study found that patients with tinnitus might have neural dysfunction at either the level of the cochlea, as shown in reduced DPOAE levels, and changes in the normal distortion product input/output function.

3. Effectiveness of tinnitus therapy using a mobile application
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a customized sound therapy in tinnitus sound therapy named ReSound Tinnitus Relief™ in patients hospitalized for tinnitus. Some 52 patients, over a period 6 months, were evaluated using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and the Tinnitus Functional Index. The study showed a reduction in tinnitus severity as measured by both questionnaires.

4. Macrostructural changes of the acoustic radiation in humans with hearing loss and tinnitus revealed with fixel-based analysis
This study investigated changes to the acoustic radiation – a structure in the brain – related to hearing loss and tinnitus through DWI, a specific type of MRI. Participants with hearing loss, with and without tinnitus, and a control group were included. The results show tinnitus-related atrophy of the left acoustic radiation, which may reflect a decrease in myelination of the auditory pathway, instigated by more profound peripheral deafferentation or reflecting a pre-existing marker of tinnitus vulnerability.

5. Decreased resting perfusion in precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex predicts tinnitus severity
The aim of this study was to explore the utility of a non-invasive MRI technique in investigating altered perfusion in tinnitus patients in four regions of interest of the brain. Some 60 tinnitus patients and 31 control subjects participated. Tinnitus patients were found to have reduced cerebral perfusion when compared with controls. Additionally, a significant negative correlation between tinnitus severity and perfusion was observed.

6. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation For The Treatment of Chronic Tinnitus: A Preliminary Study of The Influence of Traumatic Brain Injury on Treatment Response
This study explored the efficacy of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation between patients who developed tinnitus following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and those without a history of TBI. Some 24 patients with moderate to severe tinnitus symptoms based on the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and the Tinnitus Functional Index were enrolled. The number of patients who experienced a reduction in their subjective tinnitus symptoms was greater and sustained longer in patients without a history of TBI.

7. Neuroanatomic Volume Differences in Tinnitus and Hearing Loss
The aim of this study was to investigate neuroanatomic volume differences in tinnitus and hearing loss. Some 16 regions of interest of the brain in 72 adults were examined using 3Tesla structural MRI in four cohorts: tinnitus with moderate hearing loss, moderate hearing loss only, tinnitus with normal hearing and normal hearing only. It was found that tinnitus and hearing loss have overlapping effects on neuro-volumetric alterations.

8. Audiometric Thresholds and Tinnitus Functional Index of Adult Patients with Tinnitus
This study compared psychoacoustic assessments, crossed with demographic characteristics, to quality of life in 100 adult patients with acute, sub-acute and chronic tinnitus. A positive correlation was found between pure tone average, tinnitus pitch match, Tinnitus Loud Match (TLM) and the TFI scores. There was also a positive correlation between pure tone average, TLM and the Quality-of-Life measure.

9. Sound therapy can modulate the functional connectivity of the auditory network
This study investigated the effect of sound therapy on the functional connectivity of the auditory network. Some 27 tinnitus patients who had undergone 12 weeks of sound therapy and 27 matched healthy controls underwent functional MRI. Results, showing differences between the groups and within the tinnitus group, supported the theory of a gain adaptation mechanism of the tinnitus onset.

10. Lateralization effects in brain white matter reorganization in patients with unilateral idiopathic tinnitus: a preliminary study
This study investigated changes in the auditory-related white matter of the brain between left-sided and right-idiopathic tinnitus (LSIT, RSIT) patients and healthy controls (HCs) using key neuroimaging and data-analysis techniques. Some 57 patients participated. Compared with the HCs, both sided tinnitus patients showed significant auditory-related white matter alterations. More interestingly, differences between LSIT patients and RSIT patients were found, suggesting that lateralization has a significant effect on white matter reorganisation in patients with idiopathic tinnitus.

11. Changes in Heart Rate Variability Following Acoustic Therapy in Individuals With Tinnitus
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of acoustic therapy on tinnitus severity, resting heart rate and heart rate variability. Some 26 individuals with tinnitus and hearing impairment underwent an 8-week period of treatment using tinnitus maskers presented via hearing aids. Significant decreases in Tinnitus Handicap Inventory scores were found post-treatment when compared to baseline. Although there was no change is resting heart rate post-treatment, a significant increase in heart rate variability was found, suggesting a decrease in stress.

12. Manipulation of Hearing Aid Gain and Tinnitus Relief: A Paired Comparison Study
The study compared three amplification strategies on tinnitus relief in 20 participants with mild to moderately severe sloping sensorineural hearing loss with continuous tonal tinnitus. Both mild and severe groups significantly preferred the strategy for the gain in their hearing aid set at their respective tinnitus pitch.

13. Comparison of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss with Tinnitus and Short-Term Tinnitus
The aim of this retrospective study was to explore the efficacy of acoustic therapy in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). Some 162 patients, 82 with SSHL and 76 with short-term tinnitus (unilateral or bilateral) participated in the study. No difference between patients with SSHL and short-term tinnitus in the comparison of acoustic therapy indicators was found, although the study did show that SSHL patients with mild hearing loss respond better to acoustic therapy than SSHL patients with severe hearing loss.

14. App-based and Online TRT: An Efficacy Study
The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the ReSound Relief app, a customized sound therapy, in combination with online counseling sessions, with parameters conforming to those recommended in the original TRT approach of Jastreboff. THI, restful sleep and tinnitus pitch shift were assessed in 22 patients with distressing tinnitus. Results indicated adequate habituation in the majority of subjects.