title: Disentangling tinnitus distress and tinnitus presence by means of EEG power analysis.
abstract: The present study investigated 24 individuals suffering from chronic tinnitus (TI) and 24 nonaffected controls (CO). We recorded resting-state EEG and collected psychometric data to obtain information about how chronic tinnitus experience affects the cognitive and emotional state of TI. The study was meant to disentangle TI with high distress from those who suffer less from persistent tinnitus based on both neurophysiological and behavioral data. A principal component analysis of psychometric data uncovers two distinct independent dimensions characterizing the individual tinnitus experience. These independent states are distress and presence, the latter is described as the perceived intensity of sound experience that increases with tinnitus duration devoid of any considerable emotional burden. Neuroplastic changes correlate with the two independent components. TI with high distress display increased EEG activity in the oscillatory range around 25 Hz (upper β-band) that agglomerates over frontal recording sites. TI with high presence show enhanced EEG signal strength in the δ-, α-, and lower γ-bands (30-40 Hz) over bilateral temporal and left perisylvian electrodes. Based on these differential patterns we suggest that the two dimensions, namely, distress and presence, should be considered as independent dimensions of chronic subjective tinnitus.
authors.affiliation: Neuroplasticity and Learning in the Healthy Aging Brain (HAB LAB), Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15/2, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland ; International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ; University Research Priority Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ; Cognitive Psychology Unit (CPU), University of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2057-5533
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Luethi
authors.affiliation: Neuroplasticity and Learning in the Healthy Aging Brain (HAB LAB), Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15/2, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland ; University Research Priority Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ; Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST), University of the Arts (ZHdK), Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3174-4910
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neff
authors.affiliation: Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA ; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA ; City College New York, New York, NY, USA ; Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8866-9686
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.affiliation: Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA ; Clinic for Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics "Hohenegg", Meilen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Büchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058256:Brain Waves; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult