Subjective Tinnitus Research Articles

The Prevalence of Insomnia Among Patients With Chronic Tinnitus in the General Population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Tinnitus is a perception of sound without external sound stimulation. Subjective tinnitus is the most common type and is unrelated to external sounds. It is a symptom, not an illness, and is often linked to various psychological factors like anxiety and depression. Insomnia is a personal sense of difficulty falling asleep and issues with sleep initiation, length, consolidation, or quality while having ample chance to sleep, which impairs one's ability to function during the day. Sleep problems are prevalent in individuals with chronic tinnitus. We aimed to assess insomnia prevalence in chronic tinnitus patients in Saudi Arabia. Our study, an online cross-sectional survey, included 434 Saudi participants with chronic insomnia, utilizing a Google Forms questionnaire (Google LLC, Mountain View, California, United States). A total of 434 participants responded to the online survey. The most represented age group was 18-25 years, and 319 (73.5%) of the respondents were female. Approximately one-third (34.6%, n=150) were from the southern region. In the sample, 184 (42.4%) participants had bilateral tinnitus, and 105 (24.2%) had had tinnitus for over two years. Around 62.7% of the participants suffered from insomnia due to tinnitus. In terms of sleep quality, 174 (40.1%) participants took over 40 minutes to fall asleep, 85 (19.5%) were often afraid to sleep due to disturbed sleep, and 63 (14.5%) frequently used sleep pills. Our study of over 400 Saudi chronic tinnitus patients revealedthat a large percentage of tinnitus patients have insomnia, influenced by geographic region and tinnitus duration. Our findings offer valuable insights, emphasizing the necessity for additional research to inform interventions aimed at enhancing the quality of life of individuals with chronic tinnitus.

Management of subjective tinnitus with conductive hearing loss through Ayurveda: An experience

Tinnitus (~Karnanada) is a type of perception of sound that people occasionally experience in the absence of an accompanying external sound. The noise can be intermittent or continuous and can vary in loudness. Tinnitus is frequently linked to hearing loss and impaired speech understanding in noisy settings. A 31-year-old female patient came to the outpatient department with complaints of annoying sounds in both ears, hearing impairment in the right ear, headache, and disturbed sleep for the past 3 years. The patient was examined using tuning fork test, pure-tone audiometry, and impedance audiometry, which led to a diagnosis of subjective tinnitus with conductive hearing loss in both ears. The difficulties faced by the patient in daily life due to tinnitus were assessed using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) questionnaire and the THI score. The patient was treated with Nirgundyadi taila karnapurana (~instillation of medicated oil in the ear) along with Ashwagandhadi ghrita orally for 21 days. The patient showed relief in tinnitus along with an improvement in hearing loss. There was no recurrence during a follow-up period of 30 days. The treatment reveals that Ayurvedic interventions are effective in the management of tinnitus quite efficiently.

Customized Music Therapy Combined With the Counseling and Follow-Up System: Stratified Results for Tinnitus Efficacy.

Chronic subjective tinnitus is a worldwide intractable problem. In our previous studies, customized music therapy combined with a follow-up system can reduce tinnitus perception and improve anxiety/depression. This study aims to explore which characteristics of tinnitus patients are more likely to benefit from our therapy. This study included 1031 patients with chronic subjective tinnitus, all of whom completed customized music therapy with the follow-up system. Population demographics, tinnitus characteristics, and tinnitus-related scales at pretherapy and posttherapy were collected. Huadong Hospital affiliated Fudan University, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery from 2018 to 2022. A paired t test and the one-way analysis of variance were utilized to the overall efficacy and stratified difference based on tinnitus duration/age/tinnitus frequency. There were significant statistical differences in the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Tinnitus Loudness Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)-A/D scores between pretherapy and 3 months posttherapy. THI and HADS (A/D) scores decreased the most in the 1-year duration tinnitus group. The most significant decrease in THI and VAS scores was observed in the 31- to 50-year-old tinnitus group. Patients with high-frequency tinnitus and extended high-frequency tinnitus had greater decreases generally than those with low-frequency tinnitus though no significance. Group with severe and prolonged tinnitus, shorter duration of tinnitus onset, and 31 to 50 years old benefit more from our therapy. Therefore, standardized personalized music and consulting and follow-up systems while promoting early treatment can reduce tinnitus and its comorbidities.

Tongdu Tiaoshen acupuncture for subjective tinnitus:a randomized controlled trial

To observe the clinical effect of Tongdu Tiaoshen acupuncture (acupuncture for promoting the circulation of the governor vessel and regulating the spirit) for subjective tinnitus, and explore its potential mechanism. A total of 92 patients with subjective tinnitus were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (46 cases, 5 cases dropped out) and a medication group (46 cases, 2 cases dropped out). The acupuncture group received Tongdu Tiaoshen acupuncture at Shuigou (GV 26), Yintang (GV 24+), Shenting (GV 24), Baihui (GV 20), Fengfu (GV 16), Dazhui (GV 14) and Zhongzhu (TE 3), Tinghui (GB 2), Yifeng (TE 17) on the affected side, 30 min each time, once every other day, 3 times a week. The medication group was orally administered ginkgo biloba leaves tablets (40 mg each time) and mecobalamin tablets (0.5 mg each time), 3 times a day. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The scores of tinnitus severity, tinnitus loudness visual analogue scale (VAS) and depression anxiety stress scale-21(DASS-21) before and after treatment were observed in the two groups, serum level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) before and after treatment in the two groups was detected, and the clinical effect was evaluated in the two groups. After treatment，the scores of tinnitus severity, tinnitus loudness VAS and DASS-21 were decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01), and the scores in the acupuncture group were lower than those in the medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, the serum level of BDNF was decreased compared with that before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01), and the serum level of BDNF in the acupuncture group was lower than that in the medication group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the acupuncture group was 82.9% (34/41), which was higher than 70.5% (31/44) in the medication group (P<0.05). Tongdu Tiaoshen acupuncture could improve the severity of tinnitus, tinnitus loudness and negative emotion in patients with subjective tinnitus. Its mechanism may be related to the regulation of serum level of BDNF and thus affect auditory central plasticity.

Is Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Therapy the Answer for Tinnitus: A Prospective Study.

The study was aimed at determining the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in treatment of tinnitus using Tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and Visual analogue scale (VAS). 60 patients with bilateral, non-pulsatile, chronic subjective tinnitus; aged 18-65 years were subjected to 8 sessions (2 sessions/week) of TENS therapy given over a total period of 4 weeks. Pre-treatment and Post-treatment VAS, THI scores were compiled and analyzed statistically. A significant decrease in Tinnitus severity was seen after TENS Therapy (VAS: Loudness, Annoyance, Duration, Hampering of daily activities) (P value < 0.001). Moreover THI (Functional, Emotional & catastrophic) showed significant improvement (P value < 0.001). TENS is safe, effective, noninvasive therapeutic option for treatment of tinnitus.

Investigation of the applicability of internet-based approach to subjective tinnitus

Background To ensure that subjective tinnitus patients develop positive attitudes toward tele-audiology. Aims/objectives This study investigates the appropriateness of the internet-based software in patients with subjective tinnitus. Material and methods Patients between the ages of 19 and 59 applying to the clinic with the subjective tinnitus filled in Tinnitus Handicap Index (THI) and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS). Visual Numeric Scale (VNS) was applied to the patients to complaint of tinnitus. Parameter measurements related to hearing and tinnitus were performed clinically. After the evaluations, 54 participants were divided into two groups to receive the ‘Basic Information Material Service’ (BIMS) face-to-face and online. Afterwards, THI and VNS were used to determine the current status. Results There was no significant difference between the groups that received BIMS with 2 different methods (p > .05). A significant difference was found in the scores before and after BIMS in terms of THI and VNS (p < .05). A strong negative correlation was found between the duration of tinnitus and the change in THI. In addition, there is a stronger-negative relationship between the number of centers consulted and the informational benefit revealed by the scales. Conclusions and significance Online intervention is as effective as face-to-face interaction in the management of tinnitus.

Consecutive Dual-Session Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Chronic Subjective Severe to Catastrophic Tinnitus with Normal Hearing.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is emerging as a promising non-invasive intervention for tinnitus by aiming to modulate abnormal brain activity. This study investigated the efficacy of dual-session tDCS for the relief of perception, distress, and loudness in patients with severe chronic subjective tinnitus and assessed the duration of tinnitus suppression effects compared to single-session and control groups over a 2-month follow-up. In a prospective, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 30 participants with severe chronic subjective tinnitus underwent bifrontal tDCS. The control group (n = 9), single-session group (n = 10), and dual-session group (n = 11) received 2 mA stimulation for 20 min per session, twice a week for one month. The treatment response was monitored weekly using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), with additional assessments using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at the fourth and eighth weeks. The single- and dual-session groups showed statistically significant improvements in VAS, THI, and BDI scores compared to the control group. THI and BDI scores showed a significant difference between the single- and dual-session groups. The dual-session group demonstrated a more sustained tinnitus suppression effect than the single-session group. tDCS has been validated as an effective intervention for the suppression of tinnitus, with the dual-session protocol showing longer-term benefits. These findings support the potential of tDCS as a treatment for tinnitus, particularly in dual-session applications.

Sound-Evoked Neural Activity in Normal-Hearing Tinnitus: Effects of Frequency and Stimulated Ear Side.

Tinnitus is a common phantom auditory percept believed to be related to plastic changes in the brain due to hearing loss. However, tinnitus can also occur in the absence of any clinical hearing loss. In this case, since there is no hearing loss, the mechanisms that drive plastic changes remain largely enigmatic. Previous studies showed subtle differences in sound-evoked brain activity associated with tinnitus in subjects with tinnitus and otherwise normal hearing, but the results are not consistent across studies. Here, we aimed to investigate these differences using monaural rather than binaural stimuli. Sound-evoked responses were measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in participants with and without tinnitus. All participants had clinically normal audiograms. The stimuli were pure tones with frequencies between 353 and 8000 Hz, presented monaurally. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the response in the auditory cortex revealed no difference in tonotopic organization, which confirmed earlier studies. A GLM analysis showed hyperactivity in the lateral areas of the bilateral auditory cortex. Consistent with the tonotopic map, this hyperactivity mainly occurred in response to low stimulus frequencies. This may be related to hyperacusis. Furthermore, there was an interaction between stimulation side and tinnitus in the parahippocampus. This may reflect an interference between tinnitus and spatial orientation.

Efficacy and safety of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (ta-VNS) in the treatment of tinnitus: protocol for an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionWith an increasing incidence and significant effects on patients, tinnitus has become a major disease burden. There is a dearth of therapies with established efficacy for tinnitus. Transcutaneous auricular vagus...

Investigating sensitivity to multi-domain prediction errors in chronic auditory phantom perception

The perception of a continuous phantom in a sensory domain in the absence of an external stimulus is explained as a maladaptive compensation of aberrant predictive coding, a proposed unified theory of brain functioning. If this were true, these changes would occur not only in the domain of the phantom percept but in other sensory domains as well. We confirm this hypothesis by using tinnitus (continuous phantom sound) as a model and probe the predictive coding mechanism using the established local–global oddball paradigm in both the auditory and visual domains. We observe that tinnitus patients are sensitive to changes in predictive coding not only in the auditory but also in the visual domain. We report changes in well-established components of event-related EEG such as the mismatch negativity. Furthermore, deviations in stimulus characteristics were correlated with the subjective tinnitus distress. These results provide an empirical confirmation that aberrant perceptions are a symptom of a higher-order systemic disorder transcending the domain of the percept.

Phantom perception as a Bayesian inference problem: a pilot study.

Tinnitus is the perception of a continuous sound in the absence of an external source. Although the role of the auditory system is well investigated, there is a gap in how multisensory signals are integrated to produce a single percept in tinnitus. Here, we train participants to learn a new sensory environment by associating a cue with a target signal that varies in perceptual threshold. In the test phase, we present only the cue to see whether the person perceives an illusion of the target signal. We perform two separate experiments to observe the behavioral and electrophysiological responses to the learning and test phases in 1) healthy young adults and 2) people with continuous subjective tinnitus and matched control subjects. We observed that in both parts of the study the percentage of false alarms was negatively correlated with the 75% detection threshold. Additionally, the perception of an illusion goes together with increased evoked response potential in frontal regions of the brain. Furthermore, in patients with tinnitus, we observe no significant difference in behavioral or evoked response in the auditory paradigm, whereas patients with tinnitus were more likely to report false alarms along with increased evoked activity during the learning and test phases in the visual paradigm. This emphasizes the importance of integrity of sensory pathways in multisensory integration and how this process may be disrupted in people with tinnitus. Furthermore, the present study also presents preliminary data supporting evidence that tinnitus patients may be building stronger perceptual models, which needs future studies with a larger population to provide concrete evidence on.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Tinnitus is the continuous phantom perception of a ringing in the ears. Recently, it has been suggested that tinnitus may be a maladaptive inference of the brain to auditory anomalies, whether they are detected or undetected by an audiogram. The present study presents empirical evidence for this hypothesis by inducing an illusion in a sensory domain that is damaged (auditory) and one that is intact (visual). It also presents novel information about how people with tinnitus process multisensory stimuli in the audio-visual domain.

Deep Brain Stimulation for Primary Refractory Tinnitus: A Systematic Review.

tinnitus is a common and often debilitating condition with limited evidence-based treatment options. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an approved treatment modality for certain neurological conditions; its experimental use as a treatment modality for severe tinnitus is novel and beginning to show promise. This systematic review focuses on the current evidence for the safety and efficacy of DBS for treatment of refractory tinnitus. a systematic search in PubMed and EMBASE was performed to identify peer-reviewed studies on DBS of non-cortical structures for the primary indication of tinnitus treatment. Three studies were identified as meeting these criteria, one of which had two related sub-studies. seven patients with available data who underwent DBS for tinnitus were identified. DBS targets included nucleus accumbens (NAc), ventral anterior limb of the internal capsule (vALIC), caudate nucleus, and the medial geniculate body (MGB) of the thalamus. All studies used the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) as a primary outcome measure. DBS of the caudate was most commonly reported (n = 5), with a mean TFI improvement of 23.3 points. Only one subject underwent DBS targeting the NAc/vALIC (extrapolated TFI improvement 46.8) and one subject underwent DBS targeting the MGB (TFI improvement 59 points). DBS is a promising treatment option for refractory subjective tinnitus, with early data, from small patient cohorts in multiple studies, suggesting its safety and efficacy. Further studies with a larger patient population are needed to support this safety and efficacy before implementing this treatment to daily practice.

The Association Between Tinnitus Sensation-Level Loudness and Sleep Quality in Patients With Subjective Consecutive Tinnitus: A Mediation Analysis.

So far, there have been no in-depth analyses of the connection between tinnitus sensation-level loudness and sleep quality. Accordingly, the present study was formulated as a mediation analysis focused on exploring this relationship. Overall, 1,255 adults with consecutive subjective tinnitus who had sought outpatient treatment were enrolled in the present study. Direct effects of tinnitus sensation-level loudness on sleep quality were not statistically significant (95% confidence intervals [CI] include zero), as measured by the point estimate, -0.016. However, the 95% CI for indirect effects did not include zero when assessing the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) scores, the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores, the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, and self-reported tinnitus annoyance. These results suggest that tinnitus sensation-level loudness does not directly have an effect on sleep quality. However, it indirectly impacts sleep quality, mediated by SAS scores, SDS scores, the impact of tinnitus on life measured using the VAS, and self-reported tinnitus annoyance. As such, alleviating anxiety and depression in patients with tinnitus may result in reductions in their insomnia even if there is no reduction in tinnitus loudness. Importantly, otolaryngologists and other clinicians treating tinnitus should refer patients with tinnitus suffering from insomnia with comorbid depression or anxiety for appropriate psychological and/or psychiatric treatment.

Attention-Modulated Cortical Responses as a Biomarker for Tinnitus.

Attention plays an important role in not only the awareness and perception of tinnitus but also its interactions with external sounds. Recent evidence suggests that attention is heightened in the tinnitus brain, likely as a result of relatively local cortical changes specific to deafferentation sites or global changes that help maintain normal cognitive capabilities in individuals with hearing loss. However, most electrophysiological studies have used passive listening paradigms to probe the tinnitus brain and produced mixed results in terms of finding a distinctive biomarker for tinnitus. Here, we designed a selective attention task, in which human adults attended to one of two interleaved tonal (500 Hz and 5 kHz) sequences. In total, 16 tinnitus (5 females) and 13 age- and hearing-matched control (8 females) subjects participated in the study, with the tinnitus subjects matching the tinnitus pitch to 5.4 kHz (range = 1.9-10.8 kHz). Cortical responses were recorded in both passive and attentive listening conditions, producing no differences in P1, N1, and P2 between the tinnitus and control subjects under any conditions. However, a different pattern of results emerged when the difference was examined between the attended and unattended responses. This attention-modulated cortical response was significantly greater in the tinnitus than control subjects: 3.9-times greater for N1 at 5 kHz (95% CI: 2.9 to 5.0, p = 0.007, ηp2 = 0.24) and 3.0 for P2 at 500 Hz (95% CI: 1.9 to 4.5, p = 0.026, ηp2 = 0.17). We interpreted the greater N1 modulation as local neural changes specific to the tinnitus frequency and the greater P2 as global changes to hearing loss. These two cortical measures were used to differentiate between the tinnitus and control subjects, producing 83.3% sensitivity and 76.9% specificity (AUC = 0.81, p = 0.006). These results suggest that the tinnitus brain is more plastic than that of the matched non-tinnitus controls and that the attention-modulated cortical response can be developed as a clinically meaningful biomarker for tinnitus.

Evaluation of Subjective Tinnitus Severity and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions and Extended High-Frequency Audiometry.

Tinnitus is a multifactorial phenomenon with quality-of-life detriments for those affected by it. We aim to establish a relationship between subjective tinnitus severity with objective audiometric data in the extended high frequency (EHF) from 9 to 16 khz and with distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE). We hypothesize that severe subjective tinnitus as measured by the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) does not correlate with increased hearing thresholds in the EHF range. Prospective. Single Tertiary Care Center. Patients identified with tinnitus and normal hearing thresholds within standard frequency range (250-8000 Hz) were consented for participation. Those with underlying otologic disease, trauma, radiotherapy, or ototoxic drug use were excluded. The THI questionnaire was given to eligible patients and audiometric test results were collected. THI scores were categorized by severity groups. An n = 20 to 30 was determined to have an effect size of 0.7 with a significance level of P = .05. THI and audiometric data were collected for 38 patients and categorized into mild (n = 18, 47.4%), moderate (n = 8, 21.1%), slight (n = 7, 18.4%), and severe (n = 5, 13.2%) tinnitus severity groups. Mean THI score was 32.3 ± 19.6 with a statistically significant difference in scores by assigned THI severity group (P < .01). There were no significant differences or linear relationship among hearing thresholds in EHF range or DPOAE stratified by subjective tinnitus group (P = .49, r2 = 0.10) CONCLUSION: Subjective tinnitus severity is not predictive of audiometric outcomes. This finding can be used as a counseling tool to help tinnitus patients manage symptoms, expectations, and overall treatment outcomes.

Characterization of the neural circuitry of the auditory thalamic reticular nucleus and its potential role in salicylate-induced tinnitus.

Subjective tinnitus, the perception of sound without an external acoustic source, is often subsequent to noise-induced hearing loss or ototoxic medications. The condition is believed to result from neuroplastic alterations in the auditory centers, characterized by heightened spontaneous neural activities and increased synchrony due to an imbalance between excitation and inhibition. However, the role of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), a structure composed exclusively of GABAergic neurons involved in thalamocortical oscillations, in the pathogenesis of tinnitus remains largely unexplored. We induced tinnitus in mice using sodium salicylate and assessed tinnitus-like behaviors using the Gap Pre-Pulse Inhibition of the Acoustic Startle (GPIAS) paradigm. We utilized combined viral tracing techniques to identify the neural circuitry involved and employed immunofluorescence and confocal imaging to determine cell types and activated neurons. Salicylate-treated mice exhibited tinnitus-like behaviors. Our tracing clearly delineated the inputs and outputs of the auditory-specific TRN. We discovered that chemogenetic activation of the auditory TRN significantly reduced the salicylate-evoked rise in c-Fos expression in the auditory cortex. This finding posits the TRN as a potential modulatory target for tinnitus treatment. Furthermore, the mapped sensory inputs to the auditory TRN suggest possibilities for employing optogenetic or sensory stimulations to manipulate thalamocortical activities. The precise mapping of the auditory TRN-mediated neural pathways offers a promising avenue for designing targeted interventions to alleviate tinnitus symptoms.

Advances in the Study of the Correlation between Chronic Subjective Tinnitus and Sleep Disorders

Advances in the Study of the Correlation between Chronic Subjective Tinnitus and Sleep Disorders

Subcortical auditory system in tinnitus with normal hearing: insights from electrophysiological perspective

PurposeThe mechanism of tinnitus remains poorly understood; however, studies have underscored the significance of the subcortical auditory system in tinnitus perception. In this study, our aim was to investigate the subcortical auditory system using electrophysiological measurements in individuals with tinnitus and normal hearing. Additionally, we aimed to assess speech-in-noise (SiN) perception to determine whether individuals with tinnitus exhibit SiN deficits despite having normal-hearing thresholds.MethodsA total 42 normal-hearing participants, including 22 individuals with chronic subjective tinnitus and 20 normal individuals, participated in the study. We recorded auditory brainstem response (ABR) and speech-evoked frequency following response (sFFR) from the participants. SiN perception was also assessed using the Matrix test.ResultsOur results revealed a significant prolongation of the O peak, which encodes sound offset in sFFR, for the tinnitus group (p < 0.01). The greater non-stimulus-evoked activity was also found in individuals with tinnitus (p < 0.01). In ABR, the tinnitus group showed reduced wave I amplitude and prolonged absolute wave I, III, and V latencies (p ≤ 0.02). Our findings suggested that individuals with tinnitus had poorer SiN perception compared to normal participants (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe deficit in encoding sound offset may indicate an impaired inhibitory mechanism in tinnitus. The greater non-stimulus-evoked activity observed in the tinnitus group suggests increased neural noise at the subcortical level. Additionally, individuals with tinnitus may experience speech-in-noise deficits despite having a normal audiogram. Taken together, these findings suggest that the lack of inhibition and increased neural noise may be associated with tinnitus perception.

Evidence for the role of predictive coding in subjective tinnitus

Evidence for the role of predictive coding in subjective tinnitus

Modulations of resting-static functional connectivity on insular by electroacupuncture in subjective tinnitus.

To explore the modulations of electroacupuncture in subjective tinnitus (ST) by comparing the difference of functional connectivity (FC) in ST patients and healthy volunteers between the insular (INS) and the whole brain region. A total of 34 ST patients were selected into electroacupuncture group (EG) and 34 age- and sex-matched normal subjects were recruited into control group (CG). The EG received acupuncture at SI19 (Tinggong), GB11 (Touqiaoyin), TE17 (Yifeng), GV20 (Baihui), GV15 (Yamen), GV14 (Dazhui), SJ13 (Zhongzhu), among which the points of SI19 and GB11 were connected to the electroacupuncture instrument with the density wave of 2/50 Hz, and 3 treatments per week for 10 sessions in total. The severity of tinnitus was evaluated by Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), the hearing status was recorded using pure tone audiometry, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was performed on the brain before and after treatment, the CG received no intervention yet only rs-fMRI data were collected. With the electroacupuncture treatment, the total THI score, average air conduction threshold of patients of EG were significantly lower than before (p < 0.01), and the total effective rate was 88.24%. Compared with CG, FC of ST patients between INS and left superior temporal gyrus and right hippocampal significantly decreased before treatment, while FC of ST patients between INS and right superior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus and right anterior cuneus significantly decreased after treatment (voxel p < 0.001, cluster p < 0.05, corrected with GRF). FC of ST patients between the INS and right middle frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus and right paracentral lobule showed a significant decrease after treatment (voxel p < 0.001, cluster p < 0.05, corrected with GRF). In addition, THI score in EG was negatively correlated with the reduction of FC value in INS-left superior frontal gyrus before treatment (r = -0.41, p = 0.017). Therefore, this study suggests that abnormal FC of INS may be one of the significant central mechanisms of ST patients and can be modulated by electroacupuncture. Electroacupuncture treatment can effectively reduce or eliminate tinnitus symptoms in ST patients and improve the hearing by decreasing FC between the INS and the frontal and temporal brain regions.