Neuroscientists have established a link between tinnitus and brain activity

English and American neuroscientists with the installation of intracranial electrodes set the connection between the activity in several areas of the cerebral cortex and "tinnitus". Their study is published in Current Biology.


Bezobidnoe "what I have ear rings me?" (scientific name - tinnitus) can develop into serious chronic illness. Previously thought, that chronic tinnitus occurs as residual stress in the cerebral cortex as a result of injury or disease, although such studies have been hampered.

At this case study with the help of complex intracranial electrode measurements had to attract people, as in experimental animals it is impossible to know how did the "chime" sound quieter or louder. Magnetic resonance imaging also are unable to help - its not enough detail to create a map of the cerebral cortex with areas responsible for tinnitus.

To fortunately (for scientists), they got a 50-year-old patient, who suffered from epilepsy, which was needed two weeks of intracranial monitoring. He also suffered from chronic tinnitus, so I agreed to participate in the experiment.

the results of the study team determined that ringing in the ears is not only auditory, but also sensorimotor, limbic, parietal and temporal cortex.

since that was surveyed only one patient, scientists do not speak of the universality of the answer to the question "where does the ringing in the ears". The final answer should give a full-scale study.

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