Neural activity during attentional conflict predicts reduction in tinnitus perception following rTMS.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Subjective idiopathic tinnitus is an intrusive, distracting, and potentially disabling disorder characterized by phantom perception of sounds. Although tinnitus has no approved pharmacologic treatment, recent evidence supports the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to alleviate tinnitus symptoms.

Objective/hypothesis

Repetitive TMS delivered over the middle superior temporal gyrus (STG) may alter ratings of tinnitus awareness and annoyance more than loudness due to change in attentional processing. STG has reciprocal connections to regions of the prefrontal cortex that mediate attention. To probe the hypothesized influence of STG stimulation on attention, a subset of patients with tinnitus enrolled in an rTMS clinical trial [n = 12, 9 male,

SUBMITTER: James GA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5600281 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep - Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature