Looking for Area of Brain That Generates Tinnitus
Researchers at the University of Buffalo (UB) are studying to learn if there is a specific area of the brain that is responsible for the sounds associated with tinnitus.
Having studied tinnitus for the past ten years, these scientists will study the brain signals they believe are responsible for creating the phantom sounds of tinnitus. The research uses animal models previously developed at UB. The clinical study is currently being conducted at UB’s Center for Hearing and Deafness under the direction of Richard Salvi, Ph.D.
Dr. Salvi and colleagues found that when the brain’s auditory cortex receives reduced auditory signals from the cochlea (the hearing organ), due to damage or aging, it causes a part of the brain to “turn up the volume,” experience as hissing or ringing. A major goal of the research is to try to identify the neural signature of tinnitus. In other words to find what aberrant pattern of neural activity in the auditory cortex of the brain is associated with the onset of tinnitus.
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Researchers at the University of Buffalo (UB) are studying to learn if there is a specific area of the brain that is responsible for the sounds associated with tinnitus.
Having studied tinnitus for the past ten years, these scientists will study the brain signals they believe are responsible for creating the phantom sounds of tinnitus. The research uses animal models previously developed at UB. The clinical study is currently being conducted at UB’s Center for Hearing and Deafness under the direction of Richard Salvi, Ph.D.
Dr. Salvi and colleagues found that when the brain’s auditory cortex receives reduced auditory signals from the cochlea (the hearing organ), due to damage or aging, it causes a part of the brain to “turn up the volume,” experience as hissing or ringing. A major goal of the research is to try to identify the neural signature of tinnitus. In other words to find what aberrant pattern of neural activity in the auditory cortex of the brain is associated with the onset of tinnitus.
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July 19th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I only wish this neural area of the brain could be located and treated. I am a 67 year old female who was looking forward to enjoying the rest of my life but Tinnitus severity has made that impossible.
July 30th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
I too suffer from continuous ringing in my right ear and I’m 56 years old. I’ve suffered with it for 2 1/2 years. I’ve tried everything possible and it makes it almost impossible to continue classroom presentations due to the inability to hear the little children’s voices or to block out the incredible acoustic noise. Help needs to be coming sooner!The younger generations how debilitating this is and how it will affect them due to Ipods, cell phones, loud music,etc.
July 30th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Ditto. “Mapping” of the brain, our ultimate sensory control center, cannot happen fast enough. At 60, I’ve struggled with severe tinnitus for six and a half years and have strong hopes that this affliction, like so many others before it, will be rendered obsolete by medical science. I can’t help thinking, though that not enough money and effort is being put in that direction, as most non-sufferers cannot appreciate the misery this affliction causes its victims. Still, hope is both a positive force, and a coping mechanism for those of us waiting for a quieter day. Along with a refusal to be defeated by this affliction, hope is one of my greatest daily weapons against tinnitus.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
I am 52 years old and have Menieres Disease. I have been dealing with chronic, dibilitating tinnitus for many years, in addition to various other Menieres related symptomatology including dizziness, imbalance, vomiting, memory lapse and spinning sensation. My hearing continues to deteriorate but with the help of low salt diet, Arches Tinnitus Formula, diuretics, allergy shots and many more reccomendations from my ENT, I am learning to somewhat deal with this disease. There are times when the tinnitus is overwhelming indeed. I try to rationalize it by saying I am blessed to only have this diagnosis. It could be much worse…….
July 31st, 2008 at 4:13 am
I too suffer from tinnitus since 2004 in my right ear, too. I am 58 yrs. old ; it started out after my unexpected painful divorce.
But I have heard this comment before about scientists looking for the area of the brain that…generates.
This is not anything new. I’ve heard it before.
I am habituated, that is, I hear the noise but it bothers me no more.
Hearing aids are a wonderful tool – it re-captures the noise so the new found noise seem to crush your inner noise. Please try it, you will remember me.
My T is hereditary also, since my mother, aunt, uncle and grandmother had it.
I do hope this time they will find this area and start experimenting with something feasible for all of us.
I am a scientist myself and new that experiments must be performed to obtain anything certain and useful.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:35 am
I am 57 and my tinnitus turned on like a switch in 1981…mainly left ear..it used to vary in volume and sounds, but now for a few years it just plain screams
all the time at a very high pitched freq.
Banged my head awhile back on the right side and got mild ti there too…Wish for a breakthrough in treatment…Mine is nerve damage related so no pills help except Zanax which only work if i take alot..
August 5th, 2008 at 12:55 am
I have the ringing in my ears going on 8 months now sometimes it really drives me crazy. I can’t go to sleep, sounds like a cricket in there. I went to the ear Doc all he wanted to do wass put hearing aids in. And my family Doc said no. I do not want to go through another winter like this. Thank you for letting me tell my story.
Chris Linn
August 6th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
While we have learned that renewed interest in tinnitus and serious focus on cures is on the “upswing” due to the fact that so many of our returning war veterans are coming home with severe tinnitus disabilities, let our collective hopes and prayers appeal to our local, state and federal government politician that they sincerely push for much greater funding for tinnitus research than is presently being discussed/bantered about.