In this project, Dr Raj Shekhawat at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia, builds on his previous research to understand what kind of non-invasive brain stimulation could be most effective in treating tinnitus.
Project start date: January 2021
Project end date: April 2025
We will update readers about the outcomes of this research when they are published.
About the project
Dr Raj Shekhawat’s team are investigating whether a form of non-invasive brain stimulation called ‘transcranial direct current stimulation’ (tDCS) can help suppress tinnitus loudness and annoyance.
They are testing whether a type of ‘High-Definition tDCS’ can target specific regions of the brain for stimulation, and whether this can improve the reduction rate of tinnitus loudness for a longer period of time. This is one of the first trials of High Definition tDCS for tinnitus treatment in the world.
How it works
The research team will carry out two studies. In the first study, they will test the effect of stimulating two regions of the brain, the auditory cortex and the pre-frontal cortex. They will test this in people with tinnitus, and compare it to results from people who receive ‘sham’ stimulation, to see which treatment strategy is the most effective and long-lasting.
In the second study, they will investigate the changes that happen in the brain when High Definition tDCS is used and carry out brain imaging studies to assess these changes in more detail.
How will this research benefit people with tinnitus?
Currently, the most effective treatments for tinnitus are psychological management. There is no cure and, to date, no treatment that achieves a consistent long-term reduction of the tinnitus sensation.
The results of this project will increase our understanding of the processes underlying tinnitus and help to establish whether High Definition tDCS could be used in the clinic as a way to treat tinnitus effectively.
About the researcher
Dr Raj Shekhawat is inaugural Professor of Audiology at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. This project is co-funded by the Rosetrees Trust.
It would be good, eventually, to live in a world where no one has to suffer from their tinnitus. We would have well-established, personalised management for one and all, irrespective of their tinnitus type and severity of it.”
