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Multiple Daily Rounds of Theta-Burst Stimulation for Tinnitus: Preliminary Results
Seok-Min Hong1, Sung-Kyun Kim1, Moo-Young Seo2
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong 18450, Korea.
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
|August 27, 2021
Summary
This study found that multiple daily sessions of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) for tinnitus over five days were safe but did not show significant therapeutic effects. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm safety and effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Tinnitus significantly impacts quality of life and is challenging to treat.
- Theta burst stimulation (TBS), a form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), offers potential for stronger, faster tinnitus treatment.
- Previous TBS protocols for tinnitus yielded inconsistent therapeutic results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the safety and efficacy of intensified daily continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) for tinnitus.
- To explore whether increased stimulation frequency enhances therapeutic outcomes for tinnitus.
Main Methods:
- Fifteen tinnitus patients were randomized into treatment and sham groups.
- The treatment group received 8 sessions of 300 pulses/day (2400 pulses/day) of cTBS for five consecutive days.
- Outcomes including tinnitus annoyance, duration, handicap, pitch, loudness, and masking levels were assessed before, after, and during follow-up.
Main Results:
- Five days of intensified cTBS were safely administered without adverse events.
- No statistically significant therapeutic effects were observed in the cTBS treatment group compared to the sham group.
- The small sample size necessitates caution when interpreting these findings.
Conclusions:
- Multiple daily sessions of cTBS appear to be a safe treatment modality for tinnitus.
- Larger-scale studies are required to definitively establish the effectiveness and confirm the safety of this intensified cTBS protocol for tinnitus.
