New University of Michigan Tinnitus Discovery — Signal Timing

Device aims to stop the ringing in your ears |...

http://mconnex.engin.umich.edu/michepedia/2013/device-aims-to-stop-the-ringing-in-your-ears/
This is partly from Susan Shore's lab at UM. She's pretty well known in the tinnitus research circles. It will be interesting to see what kind of therapeutic options come out of this.

 

w0rd

 

So many different products out their......hopefully this is one that can help

 

I figured I would give an update about what I have heard after speaking with a tinnitus researcher about this project at UM.

"This approach is actually designed for those with noise-induced tinnitus (perhaps it can work for those with TMJ-related tinnitus, e.g.), and that's the magic of it. Because noise or aging damage has presumably changed the firing balance in the cochlear nucleus that arrives via the VIII cranial nerve (audio-vestibular nerve) toward a more excitable state (loosely). VII nerve afferents are a "back door" to this brainstem center that can perhaps be recruited to balance out that overexcitability. I'm not quite sure the nature of the electrical activity or its patterns (we might never know if it is proprietary) but that is the conceptual idea.
For those with normal jaw functioning, for example, it is very common for noise-related tinnitus sufferers to report a modulation of their T percept by clinching their jaw. The current approach takes advantage of this relationship."

So this treatment would is not just aimed at those with TMJ issues, but other tinnitus types as well. I'm assuming that anyone who has the ability to modulate their tinnitus by clenching their jaw might benefit from it (if it actually works). The cool thing about this approach is that it is non invasive, as opposed to the Microtransponder approach of surgically implanting a device to stimulate the vagus nerve (the target is a different nerve, but their theory is that it would possibly calm overexcitability as well).

On top of that, if the device indeed moves to clinical trials, the ride would be a fairly smooth one I'm guessing because of the relatively safe nature of the method overall. It would be more a question of whether it's efficacious or not. That means they could basically jump Phase 1 trials and move directly to Phase 2 trials.

 

Hudson, thanks for posting this.

My tinnitus increases if I yawn, but only for the time it takes to yawn. I wonder if many others experience the same.

 

Yes, mine does the same thing. I suspect it is very common. The data says it is.

 

Mine increases the same way when I yawn it's as if it blocks off all other sounds. But I am not sure if my tinnitus changes when I press on my jaw I have never found that! Great to see more research coming through. They have to figure this thing out sometime.

 

I can't modulate my T with jaws or other things in any way, and it is noise induced too.

 

Very interesting indeed, it seems since a few years let's say from 2010 small discoveries are being made on a regular basis.

 

Everyday brings some news, it's good to know how research is progressing.

 

Really interesting Karen, thank you. In some ways, it somewhat sounds like Neuromonics on steroids: in that it uses a device for neuro-stimulation, although this couples sound with electrical impulses.


Shore is now working with other students and postdoctoral fellows to develop a device that uses the new knowledge about the importance of signal timing to alleviate tinnitus. The device will combine sound and electrical stimulation of the face and neck in order to return to normal the neural activity in the auditory pathway.


“If we get the timing right, we believe we can decrease the firing rates of neurons at the tinnitus frequency, and target those with hyperactivity,” says Shore. She and her colleagues are also working to develop pharmacological manipulations that could enhance stimulus timed plasticity by changing specific molecular targets.


But, she notes, any treatment will likely have to be customized to each patient, and delivered on a regular basis. And some patients may be more likely to derive benefit than others.


It also will need to be customized to the patient. And just like Neuromonics, I bet it won't be cheap. But hey, I am interested! They've got a ways to go, though, since they still are looking for partners and haven't even entered the FDA medical device approval process.

 

Tinnitus Research: 1970-2013
Total number of tinnitus research articles published in peer-reviewed medical journals during each 5-year period Courtesy of NIH PubMed

 

this was a good read.
im trying to figure out what "If we get the timing right" means....

 

thanks for the update Karen. I have emailed Dr. Sore a few times, I told her I would like to be a test subject, she said I did qualify because my T goes higher when there is compression on my jaw, she told me that they are not ready yey for human testing. UofM is only about 60 miles from me.

Maybe I'll get a email one day telling me to come on down

 

I believe this was posted before but, yeah, this is reassuring to know that another group is coming to the same conclusions about neural-stimulation.

Even the drug companies know of the compound that turns off tinnitus, it's just they're unsure how administer it safely.

 

Hey t-man
You say that the drug companies know of the anti T compound?
Do you happen to know what it is?
And are they feverishly trying to find a way to administer it?
If all the drug company execs had T, I wonder how long it would take before a safe medication was available?

 

There was a fascinating write up about a persons perspective into the future of pharmaceuticals and tinnitus drugs that was posted here recently and I can't find it. I guess it was deleted.

 

Believe me, you guys will be the first to know.

 

T-man, yes there was a similar post here before, this is a little different. The date on the report is 12-16-13

This article has a slight twist to it from the one you are referring to, but at least we know Susan Shore's work is being updated

 

I must agree with Eric, I have emailed Dr.Shore and I was not very impressed.
The research is still in the animal model stage and I didn`t get the impression that it was spectacular. She said IF animal tests will succeed, human trials could begin in at least one year from now.

 

Lidocaine administered intravenously stop tinnitus temporarly but it can't be used regularly because of the side effects: heart failure being the most common problem.

Drugs like AM101 are supposed to be some kind of stripped down variation of lidocaine, or ketamine, etc... i'm no expert but they want to target some receptors without any side effect.

 

Hey James: As I recall, the issue (as you say) was that lidocaine's effect was very short lasting, and not worth the risk to patients given the side effects. I think the challenge remains to formulate a drug that can be administered regularly and quiet tinnitus for long periods of time. The delivery system, too, is a problem, given it involves the inner ear.

I personally think electrical stimulation is going to be the better route than drugs, but who knows? And I also think different types treatments will be needed for the different types of tinnitus (the disorders caused by noise trauma vs. age-related hearing loss, etc). Drugs seem to be choice for noise-related T caused by inner ear hair cell damage.