Understanding different types of tinnitus using brain imaging techniques
Official title: Subtyping tinnitus based on fMRI dynamic functional connectivity
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11031484 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at tinnitus, the ringing or noise in your ears that can come with hearing and mental health challenges, to better understand the different ways it affects people by using brain scans, which could help improve how we diagnose and treat it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $134,730 |
| NIH project number | 1K99DC022305-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11031484 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals experiencing subjective tinnitus, particularly those with varying symptoms and treatment responses.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without tinnitus or those whose symptoms are not well-defined may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates tinnitus, a condition where individuals perceive ringing or noise without external sound, often accompanied by hearing and mental health issues. By using advanced brain imaging techniques, the study aims to identify distinct subtypes of tinnitus based on how different brain regions connect and communicate. The project will analyze brain connectivity patterns over time to improve diagnosis and treatment predictions for individuals suffering from tinnitus. This approach seeks to address the variability in tinnitus experiences and responses to treatment, which has been a challenge in current clinical practice.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment options for patients with tinnitus.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using neuroimaging to understand tinnitus, but this approach aims to refine and expand upon those findings with a focus on subtyping.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hakonen, Maria — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Hakonen, Maria
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.