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Combined Bifrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Auditory Stroop Training in Chronic Tinnitus

Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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Abstract

Patients with tinnitus experience difficulties in cognitive control and executive functions. Many of which are regarded as the cause of tinnitus rather than its complications. Methods for the improvement of inhibitory and cognitive control seem to be effective in the control of tinnitus. In this study, transcranial direct current stimulation and auditory Stroop exercise were have been to improve inhibitory control and the ability to ignore tinnitus in patients suffering from chronic tinnitus. 34 patients with chronic tinnitus (> 6 months) were randomly divided into two groups. The first group consist of 17 patients who received 6 sessions of tDCS followed by 6 sessions of auditory Stroop training. The second group received 6 sessions of sham tDCS followed by 6 sessions of auditory Stroop training. The initial evaluations including pure tone audiometry, psychoacoustic measurements, tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) survey and visual analog scale (VAS) of annoyance and loudness were performed before, immediately after, and one month after the tDCS, sham, and Stroop training. The results of this study revealed a significant reduction in THI score, VAS of loudness, and annoyance of tinnitus. A significant correlation was detected between the reaction time of incongruent words in the Stroop task and improvement of THI score and VAS of annoyance. Combined tDCS and Stroop training efficiently improve chronic tinnitus.

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Funding

No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Fahmideh Street, Pazhoohesh Square, Hamadan, Iran

    Maryam Emadi

  2. Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Abdollah Moossavi

  3. Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mehdi Akbari

Authors
  1. Maryam Emadi
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  2. Abdollah Moossavi
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  3. Mehdi Akbari
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Contributions

ME: Corresponding author, Conceptualization, Funding Acquisition, Methodology, supervision, Writing, Review & Editing AM:, Conceptualization, Funding Acquisition, Methodology, Supervision, Validation, Writing MA: Conceptualization, Funding, Acquisition, Review & Editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maryam Emadi.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicting interests.

Ethical Approval

Before commencing the research, the experimental protocol of the study was registered on the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials under the registration code IRCT20120215009014N366 based on an approval from the Medical Ethics Committee of the Iran University of Medical Science (as per the Ethics Code IR.IUMS.FMD.REC.1399.379), with all participants provided their written and informed consent upon receiving adequate explanation on the experimental protocol.

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Emadi, M., Moossavi, A. & Akbari, M. Combined Bifrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Auditory Stroop Training in Chronic Tinnitus. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 75, 8–13 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-022-03258-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-022-03258-z

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