Tinnitus and Other Side Effects of Hearing Loss May be Treated by Reducing Inflammation in Brain

Inflammation in Brain and Tinnitus Symptoms 

A new study that was published in PLOS Biology, a monthly peer reviewed scientific journal that covers every aspect of biology, discovered that inflammation in the brain’s sound-processing area mediates tinnitus symptoms of mice that have noise-induced hearing loss. Research was conducted to study the neuroinflammation in the brain’s auditory cortex after suffering noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and its function in mice who suffer from tinnitus.

Research showed that NIHL is linked to an increase in levels of molecules known as pro-inflammatory cytokines and activated non-neuronal cells - microglia - located in the primary cortex. 

Mice who had NIHL showed that a cell-signaling molecule, known as a tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), mediates neuroinflammation, tinnitus, and synaptic imbalance. A decrease of microglia blocked tinnitus in mice with NIHL. Researchers of this study believe that neuroinflammation may, so far, be the best target to treat tinnitus and other forms of hearing loss. 

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Although it is too early to draw conclusions of these results from mice in humans, this is a start to acknowledging that neuroinflammation may be a component in causing tinnitus.    

If you, or a loved one, suffer from tinnitus contact us at Pure Sound Hearing Aids. We offer tinnitus relief and solutions for a wide range of hearing loss.   

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