title: [Hidden hearing loss in tinnitus patients with normal audiograms: implications for the origin of tinnitus].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate hidden hearing loss in tinnitus patients with normal audiograms by means of auditory brainstem response (ABR) and explore the origin of tinnitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pure tone thresholds, ABR thresholds, amplitude of wave I and wave V of ABR were analyzed in 40 tinnitus patients and 15 controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significantly difference in pure tone thresholds and ABR thresholds between those tinnitus patients and controls while a reduced amplitude of wave I and normal amplitude of wave V of ABR in the tinnitus patients became evident.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tinnitus patients with normal audiograms have hidden hearing loss at the level of primary auditory nerve and the generation of tinnitus is likely attributed to a homeostatic response of neurons in brainstem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Haidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xianghui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zeheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Xiayin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yiqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult