title: Structural brain changes following left temporal low-frequency rTMS in patients with subjective tinnitus.
abstract: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the temporal cortex has been used to treat patients with subjective tinnitus. While rTMS is known to induce morphological changes in healthy subjects, no study has investigated yet whether rTMS treatment induces grey matter (GM) changes in tinnitus patients as well, whether these changes are correlated with treatment success, and whether GM at baseline is a useful predictor for treatment outcome. Therefore, we examined magnetic resonance images of 77 tinnitus patients who were treated with rTMS of the left temporal cortex (10 days, 2000 stimuli/day, 1 Hz). At baseline and after the last treatment session high-resolution structural images of the brain were acquired and tinnitus severity was assessed. For a subgroup of 41 patients, additional brain scans were done after a follow-up period of 90 days. GM changes were analysed by means of voxel based morphometry. Transient GM decreases were detectable in several brain regions, especially in the insula and the inferior frontal cortex. These changes were not related to treatment outcome though. Baseline images correlated with change in tinnitus severity in the frontal cortex and the lingual gyrus, suggesting that GM at baseline might hold potential as a possible predictor for treatment outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany ; Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Center, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7539-5946
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany ; Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Center, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Berthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Langguth
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany ; Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Center, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Timm B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Poeppl
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, Social Foundation Bamberg, Buger Straße 80, 96049 Bamberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hajak
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany ; Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, kbo-Lech-Mangfall-Klinik Agatharied, Norbert-Kerkel-Platz, 83734 Hausham/Obb., Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landgrebe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany ; Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Center, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstraße 84, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schecklmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome