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Tuning out the noise: limbic-auditory interactions in tinnitus
Josef P Rauschecker1, Amber M Leaver, Mark Mühlau
1Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057-1460, USA. rauschej@georgetown.edu
Neuron
|July 13, 2010
Summary
Tinnitus, a common auditory disorder, may result from a breakdown in the brain's "noise-cancellation" mechanism. This model suggests limbic region compromise prevents blocking of tinnitus signals, leading to chronic symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Disorders
Background:
- Tinnitus is a widespread auditory disorder affecting millions, with incidence increasing due to aging and noise exposure.
- Current treatments offer alleviation but no definitive cure for tinnitus.
- Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying tinnitus is crucial for developing effective therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a novel, testable model for tinnitus based on human brain imaging findings.
- To elucidate the interaction between limbic and auditory brain regions in the context of tinnitus.
- To identify potential mechanisms for the breakdown of tinnitus "noise-cancellation".
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of recent human neuroimaging studies.
- Focus on key brain areas: cortex, thalamus, and ventral striatum.
- Development of a theoretical model integrating auditory and limbic system interactions.
Main Results:
- A proposed model where tinnitus originates from auditory pathway plasticity.
- Limbic feedback connections normally inhibit tinnitus signals.
- Compromised limbic regions disrupt this inhibition, leading to chronic tinnitus.
Conclusions:
- The proposed model offers a new framework for understanding tinnitus pathophysiology.
- It highlights the critical role of limbic-thalamic interactions in tinnitus.
- This model may guide the development of targeted and effective tinnitus treatments.
Related Concept Videos
01:31Hearing
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
01:15Auditory Pathway
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
01:21Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
01:13The Cochlea
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
01:17Auditory Perception
The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the cochlea, a...