Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
07:05
A Protocol for the Administration of Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback Training
Published on: August 24, 2017
The relation between perception and brain activity in gaze-evoked tinnitus
Margriet J van Gendt1, Kris Boyen, Emile de Kleine
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
Summary
Gaze-evoked tinnitus (GET) involves phantom sounds modulated by eye movements. This study reveals altered auditory cortex activity and brainstem responses in GET patients, supporting a thalamocortical loop dysfunction model for tinnitus.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Tinnitus, a phantom auditory perception, lacks clear understanding of its neural basis.
- Gaze-evoked tinnitus (GET), a rare form, presents an opportunity to study tinnitus pathophysiology due to its link with eye movements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural correlates of gaze-evoked tinnitus (GET) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
- To explore the relationship between peripheral eye gaze, auditory brain activity, and tinnitus perception.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed in normal-hearing controls and patients with GET.
- Brain activity was measured during peripheral eye gaze tasks, focusing on auditory pathways like the auditory cortex (AC), medial geniculate body (MGB), and inferior colliculus (IC).
Main Results:
- In controls, peripheral gaze inhibited the auditory cortex but showed no response in the MGB and IC.
- GET patients exhibited reduced cortical inhibition, MGB inhibition, and IC activation during peripheral gaze.
- Increased tinnitus loudness correlated with higher cochlear nucleus (CN) and IC activity and reduced AC inhibition.
Conclusions:
- Altered brain activity in the auditory cortex, MGB, and IC during eye movements is associated with GET.
- Findings support a thalamocortical loop dysfunction model for tinnitus, potentially involving brainstem reorganization after vestibular schwannoma removal.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
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...
01:28Perception
Perception is a fundamental psychological process that enables individuals to organize, interpret, and consciously experience sensory information. This process is crucial for understanding and interacting with the world around us. It includes both bottom-up and top-down processing, each playing a distinct role in how we perceive our environment.
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...