Department of Otolaryngology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City.
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Iowa, Iowa City.
Am J Audiol. 2024 Jun 4;33(2):455-464. doi: 10.1044/2024_AJA-23-00144. Epub 2024 Apr 2.
The aim of this study was to explore the potential for bimodal auditory and noninvasive electrical stimulation at the ears to alleviate tonal, somatic tinnitus that was investigated in a small preliminary trial (11 participants).
Auditory stimulation took the form of short "notched noise" bursts customized to each participant's tinnitus percept. Simultaneous pulsed electrical stimulation, intended to facilitate neuroplasticity, was delivered via hydrogel electrodes placed in opposite ears.
After a 6-week intervention period, average Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) and Tinnitus Primary Function Questionnaire (TPFQ) scores were consistent with clinically meaningful improvements in the study population. Magnitudes and effect sizes of improvements in TFI and TPFQ are comparable to those reported in other recent bimodal therapy studies using different auditory and electrical stimulation parameters.
Our results should be considered preliminary given the small sample size, lack of crossover data, and small subject pool. When considered alongside other recent bimodal therapy results, we do believe that there are therapeutic benefits of bimodal stimulation for tinnitus sufferers that have the potential to help some with tinnitus, with a variety of stimulation parameters and electrode placements.
本研究旨在探索双耳的听-电联合刺激模式缓解耳鸣的可能性，该研究在一项小型初步试验（11 名参与者）中进行了探讨。
听觉刺激采用针对每位参与者耳鸣感知定制的短“缺口噪声”爆发形式。同时通过放置在相对耳中的水凝胶电极进行脉冲电刺激，以促进神经可塑性。
经过 6 周的干预期后，平均耳鸣残疾指数量表（TFI）和耳鸣主要功能问卷（TPFQ）评分表明研究人群的临床改善具有显著意义。TFI 和 TPFQ 的改善幅度和效果大小与其他最近使用不同听觉和电刺激参数的双模态治疗研究报告的结果相当。
鉴于样本量小、缺乏交叉数据和研究对象数量少，我们的结果应被视为初步结果。当与其他最近的双模态治疗结果一起考虑时，我们确实认为双模态刺激对耳鸣患者具有治疗益处，有潜力通过各种刺激参数和电极放置帮助一些耳鸣患者。
