Non-Invasive Neurofeedback for Tinnitus Distress
Official title: Targeted Neurofeedback Training to Alleviate Tinnitus Distress
Run by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NCT07788638 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether real-time neurofeedback training can reduce distress from tinnitus in adults with bothersome symptoms.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 70 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Urbana, Illinois) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 12, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 15, 2026 |
| Study ends | April 15, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 26, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07788638 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults with non-pulsatile tinnitus lasting at least 6 months and a TFI score over 25, with normal or near-normal cognitive function.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe comorbid neurological or psychiatric conditions or MRI-incompatible conditions may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This interventional study uses real-time neurofeedback to modulate brain connectivity in regions linked to emotion and cognitive control. Participants receive neurofeedback-guided training and participate in sham sessions to compare effects. Researchers will measure tinnitus severity and psychological distress along with objective brain imaging before, during, and after training to see if the approach helps with tinnitus-related suffering.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lessen tinnitus distress and improve emotional well-being without medications.
How similar studies have gone: Previous neurofeedback work in other conditions suggests brain activity can be modulated and linked to symptom improvement, but application to tinnitus is emerging.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Non-pulsatile tinnitus for at least 6 months, * Bothersome tinnitus, based on a Tinnitus Functional Index score \> 25, * Normal cognitive processing abilities, based on a Montreal Cognitive Assessment score\> 25. Exclusion Criteria: * Clinically diagnosed dementia or Parkinson's disease, * Meniere's disease, * Severe physical or cognitive impairments that prevent completion of study tasks or scanning, * History of drug or alcohol abuse, * History of psychological or neurological illness, except for managed anxiety or depression, * Severe chronic health problems other than hearing loss or tinnitus, * Vision that is not normal or not corrected to normal, * Unable to meet MRI clinical safety screening requirements (e.g., metal in the body, pregnancy, certain implantable devices).
Where it's running
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Beckman Institute Biomedical Imaging Centre
Urbana, Illinois, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Fatima T Husain, PhD — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Study coordinator: Fatima T Husain, PhD
- Email: tinnitus-ACNLab@illinois.edu
- Phone: 217-333-2230
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Neck nerve electrical stimulation combined with sound-frequency training for chronic tonal tinnitus
This trial tests whether pairing a safe electrical stimulation of the greater occipital nerve with an active sound-frequency training task can reduce tinnitus loudness and distress in adults with chronic tonal tinnitus.
-
Noninvasive ear cooling for tinnitus
This trial will try a noninvasive mild ear cooling device called ReBound to see if a single 30-minute session plus up to six months of home use reduces chronic subjective tinnitus in adults.
-
External mild-cooling therapy for chronic tinnitus
This test will see if wearing a mild external cooling device for 30 minutes can reduce symptoms in adults 18–55 with constant subjective tinnitus.
-
DeepTMS for chronic tinnitus using different H-coils
This study tests whether deep repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with different H-coils can reduce tinnitus distress in adults with chronic tinnitus, compared to placebo.
-
TRTL-913 in adults with tinnitus: safety and signals of benefit
This trial tests TRTL-913 versus placebo in healthy adults and in adults with tinnitus to see if it is safe, tolerable, and potentially helpful for tinnitus patients.
-
Foot reflexology or ta-VNS for tinnitus in adults
This trial tests whether foot reflexology, left-ear vagus nerve stimulation, or auricular acupressure can help reduce tinnitus symptoms in adults with tinnitus.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.