The Challenge
Tinnitus, the experience of ringing, buzzing, or other noises without an external source, affects up to 1 in 8 Australians, where tinnitus may severely impact the quality of their life. This can lead to anxiety, depression, social isolation and sleep issues.
Despite its prevalence, there is no objective measure for tinnitus. Current diagnostic methods rely on subjective feedback, which is prone to placebo effects and lacks a solid foundation for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
Project Overview
This project aims to develop an objective measure for tinnitus using a non-invasive brain imaging method called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) which measures changes in blood oxygen levels in the brain. An objective measure will confirm diagnoses, monitor symptoms over time, and identify different types of tinnitus.
Project Outcomes
- Develop a Clinical Trial Prototype: Create a prototype of an fNIRS-based tinnitus diagnostic device.
- Test Against Current Devices: Evaluate the prototype against currently available fNIRS devices.
- Collaborate on Treatments: Partner with groups developing tinnitus treatments to enable clinical trials with an objective test, providing an objective readout of treatment effects.
Measuring Impact
Hearts and Minds measures its impact across six core categories as developed by the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes. Key highlights include:
Advancing Knowledge
- Collaborations: The fNIRS device's potential for objectively monitoring tinnitus treatments has attracted interest from the University of Melbourne Audiology Clinic and Professor Raj Shekhawat at Flinders University, who has extensive research experience in brain stimulation for tinnitus.
- Research Publications: The lead researcher, Dr Mehrnaz Shoushtarian, has a research publication on the multimodal assessment of tinnitus.
- Knowledge Sharing: Presentations at global meetings and raising awareness through podcasts such as "Einstein A Go Go" where Dr. Shoushtarian shares her research on diagnosing and treating tinnitus.
Research Capacity Building
- Diverse Leadership and Emerging Talent: The project supports two early-stage researchers and is led by Dr. Mehrnaz Shoushtarian, a female biomedical engineer who was one of only two female researchers among 23 presenters at a recent European tinnitus meeting.
- External Committees: Dr. Shoushtarian is a member of IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organisation dedicated to advancing technology for humanity.
Health Impacts
- Provide Effective Tools: Approved devices will be used in clinics to help diagnose and assess the effectiveness of potential treatments.
- Access Effective Treatments: Access to diagnostic tools will help Australians receive diagnoses and treatments faster, leading to the implementation of effective treatments and a reduction in tinnitus's disabling effects.
- Access Machine Learning: The medical device incorporates hardware and software using signal processing and machine learning to interpret results for clinicians.
Economic Impacts
- Reduced Healthcare Costs: By developing effective diagnostic and treatment tools, the project aims to reduce healthcare costs and boost productivity.
Informing Decisions
- Better Diagnosis and Treatment: Access to improved diagnostic tools will allow clinicians to provide better treatment plans and inform future research.
This project represents a significant step towards developing effective diagnosis and treatment for tinnitus.
Funding support from Hearts and Minds Investments, as nominated by Core Fund Manager, Cooper Investors. This content was last updated in July 2024, for further information visit Bionics Institute.
