Tinnitus is a potentially debilitating disorder of hearing, which is characterized by the perception of non-existent sounds: usually roaring, hissing or ringing in the ears. The changes in the brain that cause tinnitus are poorly understood. It is clear however that alteration in nerve cell electrical behavior must underlie the abnormal “phantom” perception of sound that is experienced by tinnitus sufferers.
For many years, the exact site in the brain where this abnormal nerve cell behavior occurs has been a contentious issue.
The research, performed by student Darryl Vogler, Donald Robertson, PhD, and Wilhelmina Mulders, PhD, has developed a reliable animal model, which can induce tinnitus and also measure brain cell activity.
“This is an important step toward further research in this area,” Associate Professor Mulders says. “If we can establish a direct link between this increased brain cell activity and tinnitus we may be able to move a step closer to finding a way to treat tinnitus.”
The paper titled “Hyperactivity in the Ventral Cochlear Nucleus after Cochlear Trauma” concludes that hyperactivity in this part of the brainstem therefore needs to be considered in relation to further neural research into tinnitus.
Source: The University of Western Australia
