Basic Study on Treating Tinnitus with Brain Cognition Sound

This study aimed to develop a novel treatment method for tinnitus using phase-shift sound stimulation. We performed physical audio signal processing to create simulated sound stimuli resembling subjective tinnitus. The preliminary study utilized two tinnitus models representing different origins of tinnitus, and in each model the simulated tinnitus sound was presented simultaneously with a phase-shifted sound. We then measured audio brainstem response wave latencies; wave latency prolongation served as an evaluation index. The main study involved subjects with tinnitus but no underlying disease. To modulate the perception of tinnitus, an oscillator was used to identify tinnitus frequency and produce sound output that was then phase shifted. Preliminary study results indicated that excitation of the nerve impulse by an additional sound can modulate coding of preceding tinnitus information in the auditory brainstem. The experimental study demonstrated the reproducibility of time delays. Both results suggest the clinical usefulness of this treatment method.