University of Minnesota Tinnitus Research with Acoustic and Body Stimulation

Thanks so much for the updates!

 

Just had my first appointment yesterday. Everything went great, just an intake evaluation. Like @kelpiemsp said the 10 mins of silence in the soundproof booth was brutal. But afterwards in the real world you really don't notice your T. I'll keep you updated as the session progress. I also have no hearing loss, which is odd as I've been a musician for 15 years. I heard all the way up to 16K and the lowest freq too. I always thought I had dog ears. So at least I have that going.

 

Guys, @kelpiemsp & @Tripstan thank you a lot for the updates. Much appreciated. When you get to see one of those researchers again, could one of you, pretty please, ask if this treatment would also work on people who got their tinnitus specifically as a result of a viral or bacterial infection? Or it doesn't really matter how you got your tinnitus or what made it worse over the years? There's just so so many possible causes for t. and if one has it for a long period of time, it becomes nearly impossible to trace back everything that could worsen the condition.

We all get ill from time to time, so I was just wondering... thanks again.

Jiri

 

@Jiri I asked the PI about other types and He said from the perspective of this treatment there is either somatic or non. It doesn’t matter at all what caused the tinnitus. And it works on both, just more effective with somatic. His words. However, he did have some less than stellar news about the University of Michigan study. But I will write a full synopsis later. Nothing to be overly concerned about.

 

Perfect. Thanks heaps @kelpiemsp . You guys are what gives ppl like me the strength to not give up what otherwise appears to be 'fighting a losing battle.'

 

@kelpiemsp Thank you so very much for the updates, as others wrote it really gives some hope.
I see that you wrote that those participating in the current trial (such as yourself) will be eligible for participation in the next trial. But, do you know whether they will also be recruiting entirely new volunteers for the next trial? Will it be a Phase-III style large-scale trial?
I ask because I'm originally from Minneapolis and my parents still live there and it may be worth it for me to move back temporarily to participate. I would go for the current trial, but I'm guessing it's probably too late at this point, also I'd like to hear about the results (hopefully good!!) of the current trial before moving back to MN for treatment as I'd probably have to give up my apartment and job where I am now, or else constantly travel back and forth
But, if the only way to get in at all is to participate now, I'd try to get in now (if it's not already too late of course).

 

Hi everyone! I had my second session on Friday. I sat in a sound proof booth and rated my T like 8 times throughout the process. The second session consisted of mainly matching my T sound and pitch 5 times, and then creating an audio file mixed to my hearing level so that all tones come across the same. I will be going every week here for a bit.

I did get a chance to ask the PI how their study was different from the UofMichigan. He explained to me at the UofMinnesota they are using the Trigeminal Nerve to reduce activity in the inferior colliculus instead of trying to access the DCN. It is important to note that most of Shore's work is actually based off the work done at the UofMinnesota. He also said, in the very beginning, they used random timing (the same that they used on guinea pigs) initially to get T reduction, and that worked. But he said, they believe and have seen in early trials, that certain timings can produce significant effects (double what they were hoping for).

When comparing the UofMinnesota to the UofMichigan is that Michigan didn't have a real control. Namely, many researchers have called out the UofMichigan study somewhat since the study design doesn't accurately account for placebos. I guess if you have actually used the device, it is still obvious if you are getting the treatment or the control. He didn't say that it was "bad" just that the real effects aren't quite as apparent as the research suggests.

 

It will be a phase 3. I do not know the size. They will start recruiting towards the end of 2018. I will provide updates as I totally plan on being apart of that. You may still be able to get in. One member on here @Tripstan I believe got in just a few weeks ago. But things are pretty slow at this point.

 

Thank you!

 

I'll come out and ask the golden question. Do these guys plan on releasing a tinnitus device? And if so, when do they think it will be on the market?

 

Did it actually help you? How? Did they actually say it’s meant to be used daily then weekly then monthly until it disappears? Quite a statement that I will hold onto cautiously.

@Aaron123 @attheedgeofscience do you have any thoughts or information on this thread that you can contribute?

 

@threefirefour

They absolutely plan on releasing a tinnitus device. From what I understand, they are working on making the device customizable. I'm not sure exactly what that means. Phase 3 will be with the actual device. And that will begin in 2019.

What I find VERY encouraging is how little they know and yet are able to reduce tinnitus. The PI said in the very first trial with humans they used guinea pig parameters, and yet that worked. However, humans are a little bit different lol. So in the current trials they are learning different timings have different effects, but that they can suppress more than the expected.

Trial 3 will be with a polished device that uses the best parameters found in the trial I am in.

My guess is that when Shore had a redo of their trial, she changed the timing since initially signal timing work was using the guinea pig offset.

I think the most exciting this is that this device will stimulate a different nerve. Which ultimately means, another pathway, and another option. Shore's device may work better for certain types of T, and this may work better for others. Since Shore's is using the DCN and this is using the inferior colliculus.

 

@kelpiemsp This is interesting.

"I think the most exciting this is that this device will stimulate a different nerve. Which ultimately means, another pathway, and another option. Shore's device may work better for certain types of T, and this may work better for others. Since Shore's is using the DCN and this is using the inferior colliculus."

The inferior colliculus neurons has somatosensory influence. What confuses me is that Susan Shore talked a lot about this method back in 2009. The Encyclopedia of Neuroscience has several articles about this with her stamp on it.

 

Minnesota did the research to prove it the guinea pig study.

 

I had posted the Minnesota study. Susan Shore had thought the IC method would relate better to the jaw and chewing muscles. I like the research Minnesota has done in the past. Thanks for the information and updates.

 

Probably asked before but when will these devices will be able for the public. I need relief... T is hammering me lately due to benzo withdrawal and I am becoming desperate.

 

I haven’t started the active parameters of the trial. I don’t believe I have ever commented on how it affects my T. As far as using daily, weekly, monthly that is an example. They described it in similar terms, but that is how neural plasticity works. You are effectively exercising the brain.

 

You are doing god's work by updating us.

btw how long does the phase-II last?

 

Two players in the same market segment. That should create some pressure for the both teams to finish their trial first.

 

Let the competition begin! Best way they can come out of this situation is prove that they are the best. However, the first one to the market will undoubtedly make tons of money.

 

I think the real competition is who can get to market first.

 

Novartis will fail because gene therapy is a expensive complicated and ineffective way to regenerate hair cells

Frequency will fail not because they failed to regenerate hair cells but because they cannot navigate the the cochlea using their gel, unlike Novartis which uses a virus to do so.

The FDA will fail both trials

That's free market competition at work racing to help desperate people in need.

 

Sir could you repeat please I didn't understand very well ... Frequency will what ?

 

This. If that is true then these devices are the miracle we need.

 

This phase is supposed to be finished by the end of the 2018. They want to do phase 3 early 2019.

I also just finished my third session on Friday. It was lots of sitting in a soundproof room wearing ear plugs and masking tinnitus. Waiting 5 minutes, and masking tinnitus etc.

All in all it was the worst session. I spent an hour in a soundproof booth with ear plugs on measuring my tinnitus. I then had an electric clip hooked to each ear lobe and they tested my comfort levels, for five minutes on, and off, all while wearing godforsaken ear plugs in a soundproof booth. (if you can't tell, I hate doing that) My EEG will be on the 22nd. And after that they will begin using the treatment.

 

I have T and my upper middle cervical spine in the back region is all weak and my neck and jaw are misaligned especially my neck. I'm not sure what to do next. I got a neck x-ray and it came back fine. I think I'm gonna start more physical therapy on my neck. Anything else I should do?

 

I can modulate my tinnitus with my neck, but only my secondary tinnitus sound. I can't modulate my tinnitus with my main tinnitus sound. Only a few times I could. Would I qualify or would the device help me?

 

@kelpiemsp thank you so much for the updates! I am from Minnesota and I am wondering if there is anyway I could contact someone to possibly see if I could get into that study?

 

PM'ed you with info.