We often talk about the lack of research and funding for tinnitus. But what about the quality of research? Do tinnitus sufferers benefit from the research that is conducted? In reality, many studies are conducted improperly, thus giving misleading results and false promises for patients.

During this episode, we dive deep into concepts like research design, patient selection, outcome measures, statistical analysis, and everything else required for high-quality studies. We focus on studies that assess tinnitus interventions; in other words, studies that measure the effectiveness of new treatments. How do we ensure that such studies generate valuable information for patients?

We discuss these topics with Inge Stegeman, an epidemiologist from the University of Utrecht, and Jorge Simões, Assistant Professor in data science and mental health at the University of Twente.

(00:00) Why Is This Topic Important?

(16:15) Things That Can Go Wrong in Designing a Study

(24:55) How Do We Measure the Success of Clinical Trials?

(35:54) Open Science and the Importance of Being Systematic

(39:24) Breaking Out of Research Silos

(46:04) The Importance of Negative Results

(49:43) Being Honest About Study Outcomes

(55:59) Reasons for Optimism

(58:39) Unifying Tinnitus Research

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We revisited with an old friend of the podcast: Dr. Josef Rauschecker. He was our first ever guest – go back and listen to that episode! – who came up with the famous 'gating' theory of tinnitus.

Josef’s gating theory poses that while neural ‘noise’ may arise in the ear and lower brain regions due to hearing loss, this noise is typically cancelled out further up the auditory pathway. For most people at least, but not for those experiencing tinnitus.

We speak to Josef in person at his office in Georgetown University about how his theory has evolved, his views on psychological treatments for tinnitus, why animal studies for tinnitus often fail, and how we can quickly get new tinnitus medications to market.

(00:00) Introduction

(02:23) Explaining the 'Gating' Theory

(06:55) Tinnitus Disorder

(09:31) Recent Insights from MRI Studies

(12:06) Psychological Treatments for Tinnitus

(15:49) Animal Models to Cure Tinnitus

(21:04) Speeding Up New Treatments

(27:08) Lidocaine Cures Tinnitus?

(30:18) New Funding Opportunities

Become a Tinnitus Talk Podcast Patron at https://moretinnitustalk.com for bonus content, video interviews, Ask an Expert series, and more!

Maybe you heard of sound therapy devices like Neuromonics, Desyncra, and SoundCure? Or more recently, Lenire? Hazel talks to Steve Harrison, a musician and audiophile who has suffered from severe tinnitus for decades. Steve knows all about the use of sound for tinnitus relief.

Rather than relying on expensive devices, which typically can only do one thing, Steve recommends experimenting with sound and gives practical tips for doing so. We go through all the different types of sound therapies and treatments and discuss the pros and cons.

Check out Steve’s YouTube channel Tinnitus Works and the TinnitusPlay app (iPhone only).

Become a Tinnitus Talk Podcast Patron at https://moretinnitustalk.com for bonus content, video interviews, Ask an Expert series, and more!