Zachary Jacobson

 Tinnitus: Stimulation of the auditory nerve producing a “ringing” in the ear without an external source.  50 million people suffer from Tinnitus in the US  At least 2 million do not respond to conventional treatment  The US Veterans Administration alone spends $1 billion yearly for treatment of tinnitus  Tinnitus can cause sleeplessness, irritability, loss off personal and professional relationships, depression

 Term coined in first century AD (tinnire) but has been historically recorded for 4-5 millennia  Methods of Treatment (Past)  Oils, saps, honey, vinegar, earth worms, opiates  Methods of Treatment (Current)  Overpower or mask tinnitus sensation  New treatments exist to retrain the auditory cortex through neural stimulation

 Patient receives VNS implant  Treatment begins by pairing tonal arrangements with nerve stimulation  VNS causes the release of neuromodulators  Retrain the brain to strengthen recognition of sounds  Shrink the recognition of tinnitus tone

 Advantages  Long term relief without medication and side effects in most cases  Time between treatments allows patients to live a more normal lifestyle  Disadvantages  Takes a month to see results if any  Problems associated with implantation  Cost for treatment exceeds $20,000  Future  Smaller semiconductor electrodes  External power source (RF, NIR)

 "Brain Stimulation Therapies." National Institute of Mental Health. National Institute of Mental Health, 17 Nov Web. 22 Apr  [2] Wikipedia: Tinnitus.  [3] "A Brief History of Neuromodulation." International Neuromodulation Society. International Neuromodulation Society, Web. 23 Apr  [4] Lozano, Andres M. "Harnessing Plasticity to Reset Dysfunctional Neurons." The New England Journal of Medicine (2011): Print.