Auditory middle latency responses in individuals with debilitating tinnitus

Many researchers have investigated the possibility of using auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) to objectively diagnose tinnitus. Published AEP studies suggest differences in neural activity in individuals with tinnitus compared to control groups, but the results are not consistent. There is a great deal of variability seen in auditory evoked- and event-related potentials in the tinnitus population, which reflects AEP variability in general. At the present time, there is not a specific AEP measure able to objectively diagnose tinnitus. The auditory middle latency response (AMLR) has not been extensively examined to determine its potential as an objective measure of tinnitus; therefore, this study examined the AMLR in fourteen individuals with and without severe tinnitus to determine its potential as a diagnostic measure of tinnitus. The data from this study revealed similar AMLR results between groups. This outcome suggests that this AMLR protocol may not be specific enough to detect neurophysiological changes associated with tinnitus.