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Switching Tinnitus-On: Maps and source localization of spontaneous EEG
Jiajia Zhang1, Shujian Huang1, Wenya Nan2
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, 600 Yishan Road, Shanghai 200233, China; Otolaryngology Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Sleep Disordered Breathing, Shanghai 200233, China.
Objective:
To identify the spectrotemporal changes and sources in patients that could "turn on" tinnitus with multichannel electroencephalography (EEG) system.
Methods:
Multichannel EEG was recorded from six patients during the Tinnitus-On and Tinnitus-Off states. The EEG power spectrum and eLORETA-based sources were measured.
Results:
There was a global increase in delta and theta during Tinnitus-On plus large changes in alpha 1 and alpha 2. During the Tinnitus-On state, many new sources in delta, theta, alpha 1 and gamma bands emerged in the opposite hemisphere in the inferior temporal gyrus (Brodmann area, BA 20), middle temporal gyrus (BA 21), lateral perirhinal cortex (BA 36), ventral entorhinal cortex (BA 28) and anterior pole of the temporal gyrus (BA 38).
Conclusions:
The emergence of new delta, theta and gamma band sources in the inferior temporal gyrus (BA 20), middle temporal gyrus (BA 21) and lateral perirhinal cortex (BA 36) plus the appearance of new delta and theta sources in the ventral entorhinal cortex (BA28) and anterior pole of the temporal lobe (BA 38) may comprise a network capable of evoking the phantom sound of tinnitus by simultaneously engaging brain regions involved in memory, sound recognition, and distress which together contribute to tinnitus severity.
Significance:
The sudden appearance of new sources of activity in the opposite hemisphere within the inferior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus and perirhinal cortex may initiate the perception of tinnitus perception.
