TIN-ACT: Research School for TINnitus Assessment, Causes and Treatments

[Berik]

• https://www.noordhollandsdagblad.nl/nieuws/groot-onderzoek-naar-oorsuizen
• https://www.oogtv.nl/2017/09/umcg-stelt-vier-miljoen-beschikbaar-tegen-oorsuizen/

Dutch University of Groningen will train 15 PhD students and attribute €4M to research the origin and treatment of tinnitus.

This is a collaboration with several institutes in Europe (CNRS, University of Nottingham, Charite Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Cochlear Research and Development).

Translation into English via Google Translate:
https://translate.google.nl/translate?sl=nl&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8&u=https://www.oogtv.nl/2017/09/umcg-stelt-vier-miljoen-beschikbaar-tegen-oorsuizen/&edit-text=&act=url

 

[Markku]

This is TIN-ACT (I adjusted the thread title). Here's the EU CORDIS' page on it:

http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/211525_en.html

It's somewhat similar to ESIT in that both train 15 PhD students.

We're (Tinnitus Hub - the non-profit that operates Tinnitus Talk) a partner organization of both TIN-ACT and ESIT.

The ESIT kick-off meeting was this July. TIN-ACT will be kicked off in Groningen, Netherlands on December 14-15 this year.

We'll have a similar report of it posted afterwards as we did on ESIT.

 

[vermillion]

Too bad it's only in Dutch. I can't read the articles.

 

[Bobbie7]

This is very encouraging news and hopefully the research will yield some valuable information and give tinnitus sufferers hope for effective treatment(s).

 

[acufenero]

Wow, exciting news!

By the way:

The central hypothesis of TIN-ACT is that reduced peripheral auditory input (via hearing loss) [...]

So, again, recovering input by regenerating hair cells may improve tinnitus or even get rid of it.

 

[Makrohn]

Great news! GO research...!!

 

[threefirefour]

This is great. I actually had to read the post three times because I couldn't believe at first that something this good could happen for us. Finally we're off to some start.

 

[jer]

I could translate if needed. Can you guys read it or should I do that?

 

[Reinier]

Some time ago volunteers (subjects) were asked to participate in tinnitus research (same university). I agreed, but never heard anything again. I wonder if this is the same research

It also involved MRI if I remember correct.

 

[EatMoTacos]

I could translate if needed. Can you guys read it or should I do that?

Translation would be good for those who do not speak Dutch.

 

[jer]

I checked the Google translate translation. It is well done, so you should be able to read it there.

 

[Spiral]

Better late than never, I suppose.

 

[walkthroughwalls]

I study at that university! Computing Science nonetheless, but maybe I can use my programming skills to help out

The Dutch articles hardly contain anything interesting to anyone already familiar with tinnitus. The only remarkable thing is the small comment section under one of the articles is full of people offering themselves as "guinea pigs".

@Markku's links are more interesting. The CORDIS article actually links tinnitus to a loss of productivity and societal costs.

I never thought that there would be so much research so close to where I live, with Audion Therapeutics and now this. Of course, any research anywhere is good news

 

[Tinnitus Talk]

 

[Hazel]

Dear members,

Last week I attended a TIN-ACT workshop, you can read my report about it here on the Tinnitus Hub blog.

It's truly wonderful that as a patient organization we can be so directly involved in tinnitus research And they're seeking more direct interaction with patients, so please tell us what you think about TIN-ACT below!

 

[Otana]

Dear members,

Last week I attended a TIN-ACT workshop, you can read my report about it here on the Tinnitus Hub blog.

It's truly wonderful that as a patient organization we can be so directly involved in tinnitus research And they're seeking more direct interaction with patients, so please tell us what you think about TIN-ACT below!

Thanks for the great write up and keeping us all up to date. It's encouraging to hear more research resources being put into the causes of tinnitus. Very much looking forward to an update for the upcoming conference in May.

 

[Hazel]

Hi all! Tomorrow I'm taking the train to Berlin to attend the next TIN-ACT meeting. We were specifically requested to help with training the students on public outreach and communication, a topic that we happen to know a thing or two about

For the hardcore interested folks, I attached my draft presentation here; I'll probably tweak it further on the train tomorrow.

We'll also be advising them on how to improve their website for public communication purposes; let me know if you have any input!

 

[Hazel]

The TIN-ACT program has now concluded!

We worked with the TIN-ACT researchers to create this series of 14 videos — Go check it out if you are interested in tinnitus research, or if you want to know the answers to some basic questions like: What is the role of neuroplasticity in tinnitus? Why doesn't everyone with hearing loss get tinnitus? Is tinnitus related to other chronic conditions?

We were encouraged to be part of this program that is so interdisciplinary and focused on both the basic mechanisms of tinnitus as well as developing new treatments. We hope to be part of similar future endeavors in our joint quest for a cure.

 

[EDDTEKK]

It's good to see that there is help on the way. But it might be too late for me, unfortunately. I think it will take another 20-30 years until there is some treatment available. It's the most complex neurological disease, just like the Brai3n clinic said.

 

[Rockman]

It's good to see that there is help on the way. But it might be too late for me, unfortunately. I think it will take another 20-30 years until there is some treatment available. It's the most complex neurological disease, just like the Brai3n clinic said.

I think if the military or some other entity put money into it, they would figure out a way. It's just pennies being spent on tinnitus research.

 

[InNeedOfHelp]

It's good to see that there is help on the way. But it might be too late for me, unfortunately. I think it will take another 20-30 years until there is some treatment available. It's the most complex neurological disease, just like the Brai3n clinic said.

1.5-2 years maximum and the first treatments will be available. 5 years from now and we will have a handful of treatments to choose from, neuro stimulation, pharmaceutical and even surgical/invasive. 7-10 years tinnitus will be curable for many, as well as preventable after noise exposure.

That is not optimistic thinking, it is realistic. The pipeline is full and plenty are already in the clinical trials, Phase 2 and forwards.

Concerning for me is the fact that ETD, the random ear pain, crackling/popping of the ears, fullness etc are symptoms that will not be cured with the current pipeline and these symptoms also bother many tinnitus sufferers.

 

[Uklawyer]

Did they come up with any novel treatments?

 

[dbeats]

7-10 years tinnitus will be curable for many, as well as preventable after noise exposure.

Please show me the data backing up these statements. There are things in the works, yes, but "curable"? "Preventable"? Big words you are throwing around here...

 

[MickeyAdams]

1.5-2 years maximum and the first treatments will be available. 5 years from now and we will have a handful of treatments to choose from, neuro stimulation, pharmaceutical and even surgical/invasive. 7-10 years tinnitus will be curable for many, as well as preventable after noise exposure.

That is not optimistic thinking, it is realistic. The pipeline is full and plenty are already in the clinical trials, Phase 2 and forwards.

Concerning for me is the fact that ETD, the random ear pain, crackling/popping of the ears, fullness etc are symptoms that will not be cured with the current pipeline and these symptoms also bother many tinnitus sufferers.

God willing!!!

 

[InNeedOfHelp]

Please show me the data backing up these statements. There are things in the works, yes, but "curable"? "Preventable"? Big words you are throwing around here...

I think there are a dozen pre-clinical studies at the moment which completely diminished tinnitus in vitro, in vivo animal models. That does not directly translate to humans, I know. In 10 years from now hearing cell regeneration and synapse restoration would be well established. Combining that with inducing neuroplasticity through either neuromodulation, potassium modulators, inflammation blockers, novel routes to bring medicine to cochlea etc, and further all the way to deep brain stimulation, implants/surgery, and a dozen other potential routes, I'm confident the actual breakthrough which we need already took place, but has to be developed further. We are just sceptical because of countless disappointments in the past. All of this research publications and discoveries you see here today will bear fruits in 10 years from now.

 

[dbeats]

I think there are a dozen pre-clinical studies at the moment which completely diminished tinnitus in vitro, in vivo animal models. That does not directly translate to humans, I know. In 10 years from now hearing cell regeneration and synapse restoration would be well established.

You did it again! You throw out big claims with no data to back them up. I would love to take a look at the dozen pre-clinical studies that have completely diminished tinnitus in vivo animal models.

 

[EDDTEKK]

I think there are a dozen pre-clinical studies at the moment which completely diminished tinnitus in vitro, in vivo animal models.

You seem very optimistic. I don't believe in any of these trials to be honest. The researchers still don't understand how tinnitus is generated. How they shall develop treatments if they don't know the causes / mechanisms?

10 years ago there was also such hype. And today? Still no treatments.

These young generation researchers need time to investigate tinnitus more deeply. 15 students is not much! It will take decades with such a team. Unfortunately the military doesn't invest in research for tinnitus / hearing loss. They could be a game changer.

 

[Valerian Basel]

Concerning for me is the fact that ETD, the random ear pain, crackling/popping of the ears, fullness etc are symptoms that will not be cured with the current pipeline and these symptoms also bother many tinnitus sufferers.

You are so right about this, I sometimes suffer from spontaneous tapping in my left ear. Fortunately not continuously but once it comes my life changes to hell and makes me very depressed and gloomy. Much more annoying than tinnitus. Why don't they investigate such complaints?

 

[KoolKat]

You seem very optimistic. I don't believe in any of these trials to be honest. The researchers still don't understand how tinnitus is generated. How they shall develop treatments if they don't know the causes / mechanisms?

10 years ago there was also such hype. And today? Still no treatments.

These young generation researchers need time to investigate tinnitus more deeply. 15 students is not much! It will take decades with such a team. Unfortunately the military doesn't invest in research for tinnitus / hearing loss. They could be a game changer.

First off, you are an OG so your perspective is so very important. I like when people who have had tinnitus for 20 years speak up about these clinical trials because in the back of my mind I feel the same way. I mean some of these teams consists college professors on shoe string budgets, like WTF. The fact they have to rely on GRANTS & scholarships is bananas. A lot of these pre-clinical trials do reduce or cure the tinnitus in rats but the problem seems to be it never translates over to humans.

However, I just want to leave you with this. Somebody else told me this and it gave me hope. And you know what that was? It was MOST things that have treatments aren't fully understood either, it just works. And I know for a fact if tinnitus got major funding we could find something that manages it. For instance that Bionics Institute device that can allegedly objectively see tinnitus, they are in need of funding. This is crazy that they have to even ask, the US military should be knocking down their door to get a hold of them.

 

[Bruce NH USA]

I was most interested in the cochlear implant video. The researcher stated that patients that had asymmetric hearing loss, which I have, showed 80 to 90% improvement in tinnitus due to the implant. I wonder if I am missing something, here, because that seems like a no-brainer, if it is real...