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The impact of tinnitus on working memory capacity
Sebastian Waechter1, Wayne J Wilson2, Jonas K Brännström1
1Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
International Journal of Audiology
|October 1, 2020
Summary
Tinnitus was not linked to working memory (WM) capacity in adults. However, tinnitus handicap scores correlated with WM performance in individuals with tinnitus, particularly concerning high-frequency hearing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Audiology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Tinnitus, a perception of sound without external stimuli, affects a significant portion of the adult population.
- Working memory (WM), crucial for cognitive functions, may be impacted by or influence tinnitus perception and its severity.
- Understanding the relationship between tinnitus and WM is essential for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between tinnitus and working memory (WM) in adults.
- To examine the relationship between the handicap caused by tinnitus and WM performance in individuals with tinnitus.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 76 adults, divided into tinnitus and control groups.
- Participants completed the visual n-back test for WM assessment, pure tone audiometry, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
- Tinnitus sufferers also completed the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI).
Main Results:
- Tinnitus was not significantly related to WM scores after controlling for hearing thresholds, anxiety, and depression.
- Tinnitus handicap scores were associated with WM performance in the easiest n-back condition.
- High-frequency hearing thresholds were related to WM scores in both easy and hard n-back conditions for tinnitus sufferers.
Conclusions:
- Working memory capacity does not appear to be directly related to the presence of tinnitus.
- Tinnitus handicap severity shows a correlation with specific aspects of working memory performance.
- Further research into the interplay between high-frequency hearing and working memory is recommended.
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