Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Tinnitus

[hey]

Was anyone able to find the results online? I looked but couldn't find anything.

 

[Joey72]

Didn't get better and only got worse.

I'm sorry to hear that happened to you.

 

[lusiol]

Here:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/attachments/c8892-embargo-pdf.63103/

And here is the oral defense of her PhD, which I haven't yet watched with English subtitles:



Six patients were planned, but only four completed the implantation and one-year follow-up.
After one year:

• 1 patient ("super-responder") showed major improvement
• 2 had mild, non-significant improvements
• 1 had no benefit

No serious adverse events occurred, and hearing remained stable.

The most important part of the thesis, chapter 7, is still under embargo, as the corresponding paper is under peer review (in Neurotherapeutics).

For now, only the detailed single case of the super-responder has been published.

It's somewhat disappointing in terms of results, although there remains some cautious optimism. DBS can be remarkably effective in desperate cases, far more than any other treatment, but only for a limited and still poorly identified group of patients.

Ideally, researchers need to determine in advance who can truly benefit from it, which will require more studies.

In short, before this procedure becomes available for severe cases, we'll probably have to wait another ten years or so, though I could be wrong.

Let's not forget the other DBS studies, including those in France, which target different areas of the brain. Together, they could lead to a faster and broader understanding of the full potential of DBS.

 

[hey]

Thank you @lusiol. I posted in another thread about an ultrasound helmet that can have the same effect as DBS. I think using something like that to pinpoint where to permanently stimulate in the future will make a big difference. At the moment, it feels like guessing, but at the same time, it clearly has a strong effect when done correctly.

 

[withintention]

From the paper:

Two participants showed a clinically relevant improvement of tinnitus burden after one year. One participant showed an improvement after one year, which was not clinically relevant. One participant was a non-responder. Using post-op imaging, it was shown that the placement of the electrode in this non-responder was furthest from the target.

It seems we should discount the 4th non-responder, then. So, two out of three had clinically relevant improvements after one year.

That's good news.

 

[delta784]

Can someone explain the paper? I am not a native English speaker.

 

[hey]

I just saw an article saying they're currently looking for funding to run a trial with 16 patients this time. I think that's great news and a step in the right direction.

@delta784, what would you like to know exactly? I feel like @lusiol summed it up pretty well.

 

[withintention]

Can you share that article, @hey?

I'm really interested in this approach and would like to reach out to see if I can find a way to help them.

@delta784, ChatGPT is free and can summarize the article (in your native language) far better than any of us can.

 

[hey]

Can you share that article, @hey?

This article gives a brief summary of the trial as well as the plan to do a clinical trial with 16 patients this time around.

 

[Noise Ninja]

Well well well...

Maastricht UMC+ finds breakthrough in tinnitus treatment with deep brain stimulation

Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, is safe and possibly effective for people with severe tinnitus, according to a new study from Maastricht UMC+ that involved four patients undergoing brain surgery. None of the patients treated with brain stimulation experienced lasting side effects, and three...

nltimes.nl

 

[Nick47]

Well well well...

Maastricht UMC+ finds breakthrough in tinnitus treatment with deep brain stimulation

Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, is safe and possibly effective for people with severe tinnitus, according to a new study from Maastricht UMC+ that involved four patients undergoing brain surgery. None of the patients treated with brain stimulation experienced lasting side effects, and three...

nltimes.nl

1 had a significant improvement.

 

[Frédéric]

If I am correct, the (just released) scientific publication is here.

I will remain cautious because of the result of the patient 2:
- his TFI worsened a lot (from 65 to 81) due to the active period,
- his TFI worsened on the whole (from 65 to 71).

 

[LivingGhost371]

They figured out that they were sloppy with the electrode placement on patient 2, so their theory is that this caused the worsening.

I'm going to wait for the results of a wider study before writing this off.

 

[Nick47]

They figured out that they were sloppy with the electrode placement on patient 2, so their theory is that this caused the worsening.

I'm going to wait for the results of a wider study before writing this off.

@LivingGhost371, any TFI change within about 15 points is within the placebo range and daily variation. It is more concerning that 2 of the 3 improvers were also within this range. One person did have a very large improvement though.

Taking all the studies together, the results are about 50/50.