2023-12-12 11:00:00
EApproximately 10% of the population is affected by tinnitus. These buzzing sounds – hissing or crackling sounds – may be heard in one or both ears. These noises do not come from the outside world and, most often, the occurrence is the result of hearing loss. Tinnitus can also be the result of an injury.
“The vast majority of tinnitus is of neurosensory origin. They result from anomalies in the functioning of the auditory pathway, which can occur at all levels, from the periphery (ear) to the cortex,” explains Inserm. But, scientists have become interested in the origin of tinnitus. In the United States, researchers from the specialized Massachusetts Eye and Ear Institute recruited 201 people who had never experienced this annoyance and 64 who had already suffered from tinnitus.
“Debilitating” symptoms
They found that those who suffer from these ringing sounds display auditory nerve loss undetected by conventional hearing tests. All participants in this new study completed hearing tests and had normal hearing. “Beyond persistent ringing or other sounds in the ears, tinnitus symptoms are debilitating for many patients, causing lack of sleep, social isolation, anxiety and depression, negatively affecting their performance at work and considerably reducing their quality of life,” warns author Stéphane F. Maison. And to complete: “We will not be able to cure tinnitus until we have fully understood the mechanisms underlying its genesis. This work is a first step toward our ultimate goal of silencing tinnitus. »
The scientists measured the response of the patients’ auditory nerve and brainstem. Results ? They found that chronic tinnitus was not only associated with auditory nerve loss, but that participants had hyperactivity in the brainstem. “Our work reconciles the idea that tinnitus can be triggered by loss of the auditory nerve, including in people with normal hearing,” explains the study author. “The idea that one day researchers might be able to bring missing sound back to the brain, and perhaps reduce its overactivity in conjunction with recycling, definitely brings the hope of a cure closer to reality.” , welcomes Stéphane Maison.
Currently, there is no cure for tinnitus. For the moment, it is a matter of masking the tinnitus as much as possible so as not to impact hearing. For some patients, it is necessary to implement cognitive-behavioral therapy in order to learn how to better manage this feeling on a daily basis. Generally, the habituation process allows those who suffer from it to experience it better on a daily basis and to focus less on these parasitic noises.
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