This is an Innovation Seed Fund grant awarded to Dr Sonja Pyott at University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands, in 2024.
Background
Tinnitus is the perception of sound without an external source; it can sound like ringing, buzzing, hissing or roaring, among others. Around 1 in 7 adults in the UK has permanent tinnitus, and many more experience it occasionally. Tinnitus is thought to be caused by changes in activity in the brain that most commonly result from hearing loss.
Previous research using a specialized form of brain imaging, called positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, shows that people with tinnitus have different levels of activity in parts of the brain associated with hearing compared to people without tinnitus. These areas of the brain are hyperactive and one explanation for this is that processes in the brain that usually dampen down activity in these areas (called inhibitory processes) are reduced.
Aims
The aim of this research is to find out whether similar patterns of brain activity to people with tinnitus are found in a mouse model of tinnitus using PET imaging. This will provide confidence that the mouse models are accurate models of human tinnitus.
Mice will be exposed to loud noise, and some of them will develop tinnitus as a result. The researchers will use PET imaging to examine activity in the hearing areas of the mice’s brains, looking for the same patterns of activity that are seen in people with tinnitus.
After PET imaging, the researchers will study brain tissues from the mice to better understand the molecular and cellular changes that are associated with tinnitus.
Benefit
We need accurate and reliable animal models of tinnitus to be able to develop effective treatments. Such a model would allow researchers to better understand the processes in the brain that lead to tinnitus. They will also allow researchers to develop better methods of diagnosing tinnitus and advance tailored therapies for people with tinnitus.