Variability of Tinnitus Characterization Tools and Investigation of Audiovisual Integration in Tinnitus Perception

Withdrawn before enrolling · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Tinnitus

In brief

Characterizing the nature and severity of tinnitus in individuals presents a particular challenge. The nature of the sound (loudness and pitch) is not necessarily indicative of the effect on quality of life. Different methods are used to measure each parameter. Loudness is measured using a technique called "minimum masking," in which the subject is presented with a broadband white noise and asked to adjust the loudness level until they can no longer hear their tinnitus. Severity of tinnitus is commonly characterized using two questionnaires: the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI). These questionnaires assess the perceived severity of the tinnitus and the effect on everyday activities and quality of life. A visual analog scale (a scale from 0-10) is used as a general subjective measurement of tinnitus severity. In the first part of this study, we will measure each of these parameters over a series of sessions to establish a baseline variability for each individual. The second part will look at the influence of context-specific visual information on auditory perception. This involves watching silent videos of a person speaking, with and without an additional tone designed to match the subject's tinnitus. The effect of this audiovisual feedback on the subject's perception of tinnitus will be assessed using a subjective rating scale and the minimum masking task.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02717065

Run by

University of Minnesota

People needed

0

Starts

2017-06-01

Expected to finish

2018-01-01

Last updated by the study team

2017-09-14

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Have subjective, non-pulsatile and bothersome tinnitus
• Ability to give informed consent and understand study objectives and procedures in English
• Willing and able to understand and comply with all study-related procedures
• Will not start any new tinnitus treatment during the study

You may not qualify if…

• Substantial hearing loss or hyperacusis that may interfere with the study
• Medical history of other ear or brain disorders
• Pregnant or currently breast-feeding (we need to give all female subjects a pregnancy test because pregnant females and unborn children require extra protection for their safety)
• Any handicap that prevents the subject from reliably performing the tests, such as blindness.

Where it is running

• University of Minnesota, Nils Hasselmo Hall, 6-105 — Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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