New University of Michigan Tinnitus Discovery — Signal Timing

#62
Dr. Shore has gone to D.C . to try to get funding for tinnitus .She is on the right path to understanding T .True she is not an expert in treating T but she understands more about what is going on in the brain of someone with T.Come on everybody it is a brain disorder that is affected by the auditory nerve input.And I did not say lack of .Cause some people have perfect hearing with T.It is more complex than just simple hearing loss.IT is very complex and will take people like dr. Susan Shore to get to the core of this problem . She is doing very important research for tinnitus.
 
#63
Yes, Dr. Shore is a brilliant scientist, but she is no where near developing a device to mitigate tinnitus. It's just discouraging that people receive millions of dollars in government grants (nearly $5 million to date)--and spend many years (nearly 14) studying one single aspect of a complex problem (somantic tinnitus)--and remain unable to develop a device. (Maybe I'm wrong on this? If so, I'd love to be enlightened.)

Since funding for tinnitus is so limited, we need more efforts at translational tinnitus research ,i.e., bringing the bench to the bedside.

It will take many years for the basic science to be figured out. As such, I'd prefer vital research funds be spent on things already known to attenuate the tinnitus precept.
 
#64
Jazz it is probably not her , it is most likely the regulations and goverment crap.I agree we need more options other areas of treatment research stuff that can help us who suffer now.This is some serious stress going on and there are more and more people getting T every day.I believe I read somewhere that she did go to a hearing in washington to lobby for more funds for tinnitus research . I do believe she is on the right track to understanding what is really going on with tinnitus and the brain and true it may take a while and I'm not happy about that .They should have started this research many years ago,but this is the time frame we are in .It would be great if they could find something to do to give relief even if they do not fully understand tinnitus yet.I mean a physical cure a drug, a nerve to cut or mabe electro stimulation or something that definitely gives relief. Atleast she is in our corner .I appreciate her for her research so far.
 
#66
Update on the trial (thanks @DebInAustralia):

"The trial is progressing well: it did take much longer than expected to get the device before we could begin it, so we're wrapping it up about a year later than originally intended. We're just at the stage of waiting to finish the last few subjects before we unblind and start processing the data. Depending on the data, there a few different paths forward that we will look to investigate in the near future. I hope all is well with you, and thank you for your continued interest. Let me know if I can answer any other questions."

Source: Research Fellow from Susan Shore's Laboratory Team
 
#67
@jazz Dr. Shore has indeed developed "a device", I've used it ;) I'll have more to say on this in a couple months once the data from the study is unblinded, but for the moment I'll just say that I'm optimistic that this may be a useful treatment for some percentage of people with T. It's not a cure and it's not likely to work for everyone, based on what I know...
 
#68
September 2016 Update on the trial (thanks again @DebInAustralia for the outreach!)

"We've had some good results with out initial small trial, we are currently writing it up and hope to submit it soon. We're also working on organizing a larger study. Since that's in the early stages, it's hard to say exactly when it will start, but hopefully sometime in the spring of next year we can start recruiting.

The next step is a larger study and we are looking to incorporate a Canadian location for the next round. We won't know the full details until at least sometime next spring, most likely. I'm not sure the time frame for expanding trials to outside of North America, but if we continue to have good results further international opportunities will become available"

Source: Research Fellow from Susan Shore's Laboratory Team
 
#69
January 2017 Update on the trial (thanks again @DebInAustralia for the outreach!)

"We hope the findings will be published in the next few months.

We are hoping to set up another trial later this year, pending funding.

International patients will not be able to participate in this particular trial.

Best,

Susan Shore"
 
#70
DebInAustralia said:
Interesting.
I think thats how mutebutton works
Click to expand...

That is exactly how MuteButton works. I was on clinical trial for the device. We had to listen to audio and also place a device on our tongue which stimulated some nerves/neurons. I remember asking the audiologist about the tongue stimulation and she said it was all about the timing of activating these neurons.
 
#72
Markku said:
January 2017 Update on the trial (thanks again @DebInAustralia for the outreach!)

"We hope the findings will be published in the next few months.

We are hoping to set up another trial later this year, pending funding.

International patients will not be able to participate in this particular trial.

Best,

Susan Shore"
Click to expand...

If they are going to set up another trial, it means that they got a good results from the first trial.
 
#76
Linearb can you tell use how much symptomatic improvement you saw? Say from a 7/10 to .... Also was the improvement limited to a specific T frequencies or did all T tones and frequencies improve?
 
#77
http://www.aro.org/?page=AbstractBook

Page 599

Auditory-Somatosensory Stimulation Alleviates Tinnitus in Human Subjects

Susan E. Shore1; Kendra Marks2; David T. Martel1; Gregory J. Basura3; Larry E. Roberts4; Kara Leyzac2

1Department of Otolaryngology, Kresge Hearing Re search Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

48109, USA; 2University of Michigan; 3Dept of Otolaryngology; Center for Human Growth and Development;

University of Michigan; 4McMaster University

Background

A majority of tinnitus subjects are able to modulate their tinnitus by moving or applying pressure to their head or neck, so called, 'somatic' tinnitus [1]. This ability is mediated, at least in part, by the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN), which integrates auditory and somatosensory information [2]. DCN circuitry is altered in tinnitus to produce hypersynchrony and heightened spontaneous firing rates in output neurons [3]. Pairing auditory- with somatosensory stimuli can induce long-term increases or decreases in firing rates and synchrony in these neurons, depending on the precise timing of the bimodal intervals [3]. By presenting bimodal intervals that depressed firing rates and synchrony, we were able to decrease physiological and behavioral evidence of tinnitus in animals [4]. Here, we extend these findings to a human population.

Methods

Twenty human subjects with constant, bothersome somatic tinnitus were recruited to participate in a double-blinded, sham-controlled, cross-over study. Subjects were randomly assigned to sham (auditory only) or active (bimodal auditory-somatosensory) stimulation treatment. Somatosensory stimulation was achieved by pads placed on the face or neck. Using a take- home device, treatments consisted of 30 minutes a day of auditory only (sham) or bimodal (auditory-electric) stimulation for four weeks. Each sham or active period was followed by a four-week washout period. Throughout the sixteen-week study, subjects completed the Tinnitus functional Index (TFI) and loudness match- ing tasks to monitor their tinnitus on a weekly basis.

Results

Bimodal but not unimodal stimulation resulted in significant reductions in loudness matching (mean decrease of -7.334 dB) and total TFI score (mean decrease of 6.11 points), with11 of the subjects showing greater than a 13 point reduction in their TFI scores.

Conclusion

Bimodal auditory-somatosensory stimulation alters tinnitus circuitry to alleviate tinnitus in human subjects and could be a safe and effective treatment for a large number of tinnitus patients.

1. Levine, R., Somatic modulation of Tinnitus appears to be a fundamental attribute of tinnitus. Proceedings of the 6th International Tinnitus Seminar, Cambridge UK., 1999. 1: p. 93-197.
2. Koehler, S.D. and S.E. Shore, Stimulus timing-de- pendent plasticity in dorsal cochlear nucleus is altered in tinnitus. Journal of Neuroscience, 2013. 33(50): p. 19647-56.
3. Wu, C., D.T. Martel, and S.E. Shore, Increased Synchrony and Bursting of Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus Fusiform Cells Correlate with Tinnitus. J Neurosci, 2016. 36(6): p. 2068-73.
4. Martel, D., C. Wu, and S. Shore, Bimodal stimulation desynchronizes the tinnitus circuit in guinea pigs. ARO Abstracts, 2017.​

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02974543?term=tinnitus&rank=21
 
#78
This is great news. Can anyone who did the trial speculate on whether a longer treatment time say 3 months would it be even more effective. Aka (@linearb ) did the level of decrease in the tinnitus response get even better as the treatment progressed or was a decrease that was felt on day one the same overall decrease at the end of the 4 weeks?

Also can someone describe a 7.334 dB decrease in terms of tinnitus sound?

What does everyone think about this a possible treatment? I for one would be happy to use this every day.
 
#80
Jim51042 said:
This is great news. Can anyone who did the trial speculate on whether a longer treatment time say 3 months would it be even more effective. Aka (@linearb ) did the level of decrease in the tinnitus response get even better as the treatment progressed or was a decrease that was felt on day one the same overall decrease at the end of the 4 weeks?
Click to expand...
It took two weeks to notice anything and then the effect seemed pretty consistent. However, it certainly may be that using the device for longer, or for a couple periods a day, might have a different effect -- that's stuff they'll have to figure out.

Also can someone describe a 7.334 dB decrease in terms of tinnitus sound?
Click to expand...
I didn't really feel the volume changed, though, my data from the objective T match might say otherwise. But it was more like the quality of the sound changed and the sort of "signal strength" -- meaning, it became more background than foreground, more gentle hiss than piercing whine.
 
#82
Thank you for posting this! I thought it was interesting they mentioned that jaw function can change tinnitus. When I open my jaw wide, as though I'm yawning (but not yawning), the pitch of my tinnitus increases. I've wondered why this happens. Reading this article gives me hope. Thanks again.
 
#84
I called Susan's office they said the data looks good. They said to call back in May 2017 if they get more money they will start another trial. I hope they find the money!!!
 
#85
I was in contact with Susan in March. She told me that they will likely run a clinical trial this fall.
 
#87
DoNotGoGentle said:
You coming to Michigan end of 2017?
Click to expand...
Maybe! I am still a bit skeptical about this. But I would like to take part in a clinical trial like this one. More than anything though, I would like to take part in something that has a lasting effect. It would be so anticlimactic to learn that the device actually works, but then have to leave it behind. Preferably I would like to go home with it. If they are willing to sell it.
 
#88
Samir said:
Maybe! I am still a bit skeptical about this. But I would like to take part in a clinical trial like this one. More than anything though, I would like to take part in something that has a lasting effect. It would be so anticlimactic to learn that the device actually works, but then have to leave it behind. Preferably I would like to go home with it. If they are willing to sell it.
Click to expand...

Why are you skeptical? I doubt they will sell it too you. I am hopeful this will help a lot of people.
 
#90
DoNotGoGentle said:
Why are you skeptical? I doubt they will sell it too you. I am hopeful this will help a lot of people.
Click to expand...
Because so many different gadgets and gizmos have been sold in the past as "tinnitus cure". But I m still hopeful that this one will be different.

True, they probably won't sell it. :) But if it really works I will steal it from them! :LOL:

Just kidding! ;)
 

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