Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Ear Hear. 2021 Sep/Oct;42(5):1428-1435. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001042.
To elucidate the association between tinnitus and brain tissue volumes and white matter microstructural integrity.
Two thousand six hundred sixteen participants (mean age, 65.7 years [SD: 7.5 years]; 53.9% female) of the population-based Rotterdam Study underwent tinnitus assessment (2011 to 2014) and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain (2011 to 2014). Associations between tinnitus (present versus absent) and total, gray, and white matter volume and global white matter microstructure were assessed using multivariable linear regression models adjusting for demographic factors, cardiovascular risk factors, depressive symptoms, Mini-Mental State Examination score, and hearing loss. Finally, potential regional gray matter density and white matter microstructural volume differences were assessed on a voxel-based level again using multivariable linear regression.
Participants with tinnitus (21.8%) had significantly larger brain tissue volumes (difference in SD, 0.09; 95% confidence interval, 0.06 to 0.13), driven by larger white matter volumes (difference, 0.12; 95% confidence interval, 0.04 to 0.21) independent of hearing loss. There was no association between tinnitus and gray matter volumes nor with global white matter microstructure. On a lobar level, tinnitus was associated with larger white matter volumes in each lobe, not with gray matter volume. Voxel-based results did not show regional specificity.
We found that tinnitus in older adults was associated with larger brain tissue volumes, driven by larger white matter volumes, independent of age, and hearing loss. Based on these results, it may be hypothesized that tinnitus potentially has a neurodevelopmental origin in earlier life independent of aging processes.
阐明耳鸣与脑组织体积和白质微观结构完整性之间的关系。
2616 名（平均年龄 65.7 岁[标准差 7.5 岁]；53.9%为女性）来自基于人群的鹿特丹研究的参与者接受了耳鸣评估（2011 年至 2014 年）和脑部磁共振成像（2011 年至 2014 年）。使用多变量线性回归模型，调整人口统计学因素、心血管危险因素、抑郁症状、简易精神状态检查评分和听力损失，评估耳鸣（存在与不存在）与总、灰质和白质体积以及整体白质微观结构之间的关联。最后，再次使用多变量线性回归在体素水平上评估潜在的灰质密度和白质微观结构体积差异。
有耳鸣的参与者（21.8%）的脑组织体积明显更大（SD 差异为 0.09；95%置信区间为 0.06 至 0.13），这主要是由于白质体积更大（差异为 0.12；95%置信区间为 0.04 至 0.21），而与听力损失无关。耳鸣与灰质体积或整体白质微观结构均无关联。在叶水平上，耳鸣与每个叶的白质体积增加有关，与灰质体积无关。基于体素的结果未显示出区域特异性。
我们发现，老年人的耳鸣与更大的脑组织体积有关，这主要是由更大的白质体积驱动的，与年龄和听力损失无关。基于这些结果，可以假设耳鸣在生命早期可能具有与衰老过程无关的神经发育起源。
