Deep brain stimulation effects in patients with tinnitus.
OBJECTIVE
To report deep brain stimulation (DBS) effects in patients with tinnitus.


METHODS
Case series with chart review.


METHODS
Tertiary medical center.


METHODS
Seven patients implanted with DBS systems for movement disorders who also reported having tinnitus were interviewed about their tinnitus conditions. Four were available for testing in a specialized tinnitus clinic with their DBS systems turned off or on. Testing included matching of self-rated and psychoacoustically measured tinnitus loudness to measure the impact of DBS on tinnitus.


RESULTS
Three of the seven patients reported reduced tinnitus loudness when DBS was turned on. Of the four patients tested in the clinic, results indicated that DBS of the ventralis intermedius nucleus of the thalamus caused decreases in tinnitus loudness in two patients with relatively prolonged residual inhibition.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that DBS of nonauditory thalamus structures may provide tinnitus relief for some patients.
Shi
Yongbing
Y
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Oregon Hearing Research Center, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
Burchiel
Kim J
KJ
Anderson
Valerie C
VC
Martin
William Hal
WH
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001299:Audiometry / Q000379:methods; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020651:Ventral Thalamic Nuclei / Q000601:surgery