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Comparing immediate transient tinnitus suppression using tACS and tDCS: a placebo-controlled study.
Sven Vanneste1, Vincent Walsh, Paul Van De Heyning
1Brai²n, TRI and Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium. sven.vanneste@ua.ac.be
Experimental Brain Research
|January 15, 2013
Summary
Bifrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effectively reduced tinnitus loudness and annoyance. Individual alpha-modulated transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) did not show similar effects in chronic tinnitus patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Audiology
- Neuromodulation
Background:
- Tinnitus is a phantom auditory perception without an external sound source.
- Transcranial electrical stimulation, including tDCS and tACS, is explored for tinnitus treatment.
- Previous research indicated transient tinnitus improvement with single-session tDCS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effects of single-session bifrontal tDCS and individual alpha-modulated tACS on tinnitus loudness and annoyance.
- To investigate the role of the DLPFC in tinnitus modulation.
- To explore the relationship between tinnitus and affective/attentional processing.
Main Methods:
- Fifty patients with chronic tinnitus were recruited and randomly assigned to either tACS or tDCS treatment.
- Both tACS and tDCS were applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) bilaterally.
- Tinnitus loudness and annoyance were assessed after a single stimulation session.
Main Results:
- Bifrontal tDCS significantly modulated tinnitus annoyance and loudness.
- Individual alpha-modulated tACS did not produce comparable modulatory effects on tinnitus loudness or annoyance.
- The findings highlight the differential impact of tDCS and tACS on tinnitus perception.
Conclusions:
- Bifrontal tDCS shows potential for modulating tinnitus perception, specifically loudness and annoyance.
- Individual alpha-modulated tACS applied to the DLPFC was not effective in this study.
- The study contributes to understanding DLPFC's role in tinnitus and its connection to emotional and attentional processes.
