Non-Invasive Neurofeedback Training to Alleviate Tinnitus Distress

Summary

The broad goals of this project are to apply and validate the therapeutic utility of neurofeedback-guided intervention for tinnitus and its associated psychological sufferings. In this project, the investigators will evaluate whether targeted (non-auditory networks) neurofeedback-based training can restore emotional and cognitive health for individuals with bothersome tinnitus. The investigators will also link individual tinnitus scores with objective brain imaging measures before, during, and after the intervention. The investigators will accomplish these goals by using a combined brain imaging and behavioral experimental framework.

Detailed Description

Intervention via neurofeedback has shown promising results for many neurological disorders including schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, anxiety and major depressive disorder, with benefits lasting over several weeks after the completion of training ; neurofeedback-guided training has led to participants successfully alter activity in brain regions that mediate emotional response, mood and cognitive control. Because these brain regions and functions are also implicated in bothersome tinnitus, real-time neurofeedback training based on ongoing activity in these targets can potentially improve the psychological distress associated with tinnitus severity. Real-time neurofeedback can provide a valuable training tool for coping with tinnitus-related distress and help underpin the development of intervention-based treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Interventions