Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
Lauer Tinnitus Research Center
In partnership with the Lauer family, Mass. Eye and Ear launched the Lauer Tinnitus Research Center in 2015 with the goal of advancing research to better understand and treat the debilitating condition of tinnitus. The center brings together years of experience and state-of-the-art research techniques to bear on this problem that affects more than 50 million Americans.
Overview
Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, refers to the perception of sound when no external sound is present. It may be a temporary or chronic condition. The sudden and persistent onset of tinnitus in one ear may be a sign of sudden hearing loss and should be assessed with a hearing test within 48 hours.
Research Strategies
The following strategies are underway to study tinnitus in the ear and the brain:
In 2009, Dr. Charlie Liberman, along with his colleague Dr. Sharon Kujawa, discovered that even brief exposure to loud noise can result in permanent loss of auditory nerve fibers. They named this condition “hidden hearing loss” because it does not affect an audiogram or appear in routine histological preparations of the cochlea. However, the loss of communication between the inner ear and cochlear nerve may be a root cause for difficulties understanding speech in noisy environments and may be a key link in the chain of events that causes tinnitus.
Dr. Liberman and his colleagues are working on therapeutic approaches to regrow these sensory neurons in mouse models in hopes of restoring hearing function and alleviating tinnitus.
Because the inner ear is encased in the hardest bone in the body, no current imaging techniques can “see” the cells and neurons of the ear. Our research aims to develop an endoscope to be used in the exam room to assess neuronal survival in the inner ear, a key to diagnosing the cause of tinnitus.
Dr. Daniel Polley, a leading expert in the physiology and plasticity of auditory processing areas of the brain, is using cutting edge technologies for chronic imaging at a cellular scale to assess changes in the patterns of neural activity that represent the underlying signature of tinnitus in mouse models. His work is also investigating new strategies for direct brain stimulation that might reverse pathological patterns of activity and restore more normal sound perception.
Dr. Anne Takesian has recently joined this interdisciplinary tour de force to understand the neural basis of tinnitus. Her laboratory uses advanced techniques in neuroscience to map the genetic, cellular, and synaptic changes within the central auditory system that may underlie tinnitus. She is also working to identify therapies for tinnitus that leverage the brain’s inherent ability to restructure by tapping into precise cellular mechanisms that promote plasticity.
Dr. Daniel Polley is investigating new approaches to turn down the subjective intensity of tinnitus and restore more normal abilities to follow conversations in noisy environments. Using a customized auditory training software interface, Dr. Polley and his team have been successful in boosting speech recognition abilities in persons with hearing loss and now wish to apply this technology to tinnitus. Dr. Polley is combining electrophysiological testing with his new approach for "brain training" to identify physiological changes in brain processing that accompany improvements in speech recognition and tinnitus severity.
Dr. Charlie Liberman and Dr. Stéphane Maison are following up on their 2016 study that identified a physiological signature for a “hidden hearing loss” that cannot be detected with conventional audiological tests but underlies difficulties tracking speech in noisy environments. They are developing and refining their battery of tests to identify objective physiologic measures of aberrant neural processing that “hides” behind normal audiograms but may provide important clues about the mechanisms and manifestations of tinnitus.
Our Investigators
The Lauer Tinnitus Research Center brings together years of experience and state-of-the-art research techniques to bear on the problem of tinnitus.
