Physiological Regulation of Chronic Tinnitus

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Niels Birbaumer
• Subject Area: Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology ; Otolaryngology, Phoniatrics and Audiology
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 290833054

Chronic tinnitus co-varies with a decrease of inhibition of the central auditory system. This project investigates a new rehabilitation strategy using training of local neuronal inhibition in the auditory system with local alpha-EEG-neurofeedback: 3 comparable randomized groups of 30 patients each suffering from chronic tinnitus receive (1) Neurofeedback of local auditory alpha-rhythm with simultaneous alpha-blockade in the somatosensory and visual projection areas of the brain in order to revive physiological inhibition in the auditory system in the experimental group (EG), (2) receive identical training as the EG but without association (contingency) between auditory cortex alpha and feedback in the control group (CG) and (3) receive cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) of the tinnitus in the third group. We expect that the EG shows a neurophysiological and behavioral and perceptual stable reduction of tinnitus and that local neuronal inhibition (alpha) and cortical reorganization of the auditory system reflect the behavioral improvement of the rehabilitation training.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Austria
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Herbert Bauer