Key Takeaways Rewarding stimulation of the nucleus accumbens, when paired with non-tinnitus tones, reduced tinnitus perception in a rat model. A combined approach using both rewarding and dysrewarding brain stimulation was also effective but produced negative side effects. The findings suggest that tinnitus is maintained by maladaptive learning in the brain’s salience network. This targeted…
A study of eight bilateral cochlear implant users has found that adjusting the devices’ volume maps to account for two ears can slightly reduce speech understanding, but the overall benefit of using two implants outweighs the loss. Key Takeaways Reducing stimulation levels in cochlear implants to account for binaural loudness summation causes a small but…
A 2026 neuroimaging study from Capital Medical University in Beijing identified a specific pattern of reduced brain blood flow in patients with non-auditory tinnitus linked to a condition called cerebral venous congestion. The research, led by Lu Liu and colleagues, connects circulatory issues in the brain’s veins directly to the chronic perception of sounds like…
Key Takeaways A new theory proposes that many psychiatric conditions stem from failures in the brain’s sensory filtering systems, not just chemical imbalances. The cerebellum is highlighted as a key neural hub for filtering irrelevant sensory information before it reaches higher brain regions. Psychedelic drugs may work by temporarily disrupting these maladaptive filters, allowing the…
A specific nicotinic receptor in the inner ear, the α9α10, is a compelling target for drugs that could prevent common forms of hearing loss. This is the conclusion of a 2022 review by Dr. A. Belén Elgoyhen and colleagues, which examined the receptor’s role in noise-induced damage and age-related hearing loss (presbycusis). Their analysis, published…
Carotid artery stenosis, a narrowing of the major blood vessels in the neck, is consistently associated with sensorineural hearing loss according to a new review of 25 studies. The research, led by Gulruh Shodmonkulova, Gavkhar Khaydarova, and Abdurasul Yulbarisov, points to vascular endothelial dysfunction as the likely mechanism connecting cardiovascular disease to auditory impairment. Key…
Key Takeaways Misophonia, even when it occurs with hyperacusis, involves atypical visual area activation during sound processing, suggesting a cross-modal sensory issue. Hyperacusis shows impaired connectivity between the brain’s salience network and frontal control regions, indicating a deficit in top-down regulation of sound reactions. Misophonia appears to maintain intact connectivity for general unpleasant sounds, distinguishing…
Manual Therapy and Jaw Exercises Lower Tinnitus Severity A 2024 systematic review led by the Universidade Federal de São Carlos found that when manual t…
Key Takeaways A simulation study found that random forest (RF) and item response theory (IRT) perform equally well for diagnostic classification when test items function consistently across different patient groups. As test items become biased or function differently across groups—a problem known as differential item functioning (DIF)—the classification accuracy of standard IRT methods drops. Random…
Key Takeaways A new theoretical model proposes that tinnitus and hyperacusis may share a common origin in the brainstem’s dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN). The model suggests hyperacusis results from strengthened auditory nerve inputs to the DCN, while chronic tinnitus stems from strengthened somatosensory inputs (e.g., from neck or jaw). Hearing loss is predicted to be…
Key Takeaways Intravenous lidocaine treatment in fibromyalgia patients led to significant improvements in pain, function, and sleep quality within one month. Sleep quality improvements were notable but began to diminish by the three-month follow-up, while pain relief was more sustained. Better sleep quality was strongly linked to short-term functional improvements, while lower pain intensity predicted…
A specific combination of acupuncture points targeting the wrist and ear led to a significant 12 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure and improved measures of nervous system balance in a new clinical trial. The study, led by researchers Kadek Buja Harditya, Anak Agung Istri Mas Padmiswari, and Ida Ayu Suptika Strisanti, provides evidence that…
