Transcranial magnetic stimulation for tinnitus: No better than sham treatment?

Millions of individuals experience tinnitus, the perception of sound in the absence of auditory stimulation.1 Chronic tinnitus may disrupt sleep and be associated with substantial irritability, depression, and anxiety. Treatment of disabling tinnitus may include the use of sound generators, drugs, and behavioral therapies, but is often unsatisfactory.1,2 Tinnitus is usually, but not always, associated with injury or disease of the peripheral auditory system (e.g., hearing loss due to noise exposure). Our understanding of the pathophysiologic basis of tinnitus is incomplete, but increasingly recognizes the importance of long-term central maladaptations to peripheral triggering …