Detecting brain signals linked to subjective and somatic tinnitus with near-infrared imaging
Official title: Subjective and Somatic Tinnitus; Using Functional Near-Infrared-Spectroscopy to Identify Objective Correlates in Auditory and Non-Auditory Cortices
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11189596 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses safe, noninvasive near-infrared brain imaging to find objective brain activity linked to regular tinnitus and head-or-jaw–modulated somatic tinnitus in people who experience these sounds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $504,483 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC021746-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11189596 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults who experience subjective tinnitus, especially those whose tinnitus pitch or loudness changes with head, neck, or jaw movements (somatic tinnitus), and who can travel to the study site.
✕Less likely to help
People without tinnitus, those with externally measurable (objective) causes of sound such as pulsatile vascular tinnitus, or individuals unable to undergo noninvasive scalp imaging are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
You would have noninvasive functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) sensors placed on the scalp and an adapted probe near the ear canal to measure blood-based brain signals in auditory and nearby non-auditory areas. The team will record brain responses during quiet rest and during sound stimulation, and may ask you to move your head, neck, or jaw if those movements change your tinnitus. Researchers will compare patterns between people whose tinnitus is associated with hearing loss (non-somatic) and those whose tinnitus shifts with somatic maneuvers (somatic tinnitus). The investigators previously validated the adapted probe and aim to extend those findings to identify reliable, objective markers that match patients’ experiences.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a noninvasive objective test to confirm tinnitus presence and subtype and help guide diagnosis and personalized treatment.
How similar studies have gone: The investigators' prior R21 work and other preliminary fNIRS studies have shown promising objective brain signals for non-somatic tinnitus, but applying this adapted probe to somatic tinnitus is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Basura, Gregory Joseph — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Basura, Gregory Joseph
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how stress and arousal relate to tinnitus using eye and skin signals
Researchers will test whether easy-to-measure signals like pupil size and skin conductance can reflect how distressing tinnitus feels in adults, especially Veterans.
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Understanding why age-related hearing loss and tinnitus happen in diverse groups
A study aims to find genetic reasons behind age-related hearing loss and tinnitus in African ancestry and Latino populations.
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Subjective and Somatic Tinnitus: Finding Objective Brain Signals with a Special fNIRS Scan
This grant tests a brain-imaging approach to identify objective brain signals in people with tinnitus, including those whose phantom sounds change with jaw or head movements.
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Hormones, gut bacteria, and blood markers linked to tinnitus in women
This study looks at how hormones, gut microbes, and metabolic signals relate to the start and possible remission of tinnitus in women.
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Understanding age-related hearing loss and tinnitus in diverse communities
This project looks for genetic changes linked to age-related hearing loss and ringing in the ears using large whole-genome datasets, focusing especially on people of African and Latino backgrounds.
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Diagnosing and treating tinnitus linked to head, neck, or jaw problems
This project develops a screening test and a physical-therapy treatment for people—especially Veterans—whose tinnitus changes with head, neck, jaw, or eye movements.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.