title: An Integrative Tinnitus Model Based on Sensory Precision.
abstract: Tinnitus is a common disorder that often complicates hearing loss. Its mechanisms are incompletely understood. Current theories proposing pathophysiology from the ear to the cortex cannot individually - or collectively - explain the range of experimental evidence available. We propose a new framework, based on predictive coding, in which spontaneous activity in the subcortical auditory pathway constitutes a 'tinnitus precursor' which is normally ignored as imprecise evidence against the prevailing percept of 'silence'. Extant models feature as contributory mechanisms acting to increase either the intensity of the precursor or its precision. If precision (i.e., postsynaptic gain) rises sufficiently then tinnitus is perceived. Perpetuation arises through focused attention, which further increases the precision of the precursor, and resetting of the default prediction to expect tinnitus.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Electronic address: william.sedley@newcastle.ac.uk.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sedley
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Karl J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Friston
authors.affiliation: Human Brain Research Laboratory, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Phillip E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Gander
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Sukhbinder
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK; Human Brain Research Laboratory, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Griffiths
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: auditory cortex; precision; predictive coding; tinnitus