Hidden hearing loss in tinnitus patients with normal audiograms: implications for the origin of tinnitus / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate hidden hearing loss in tinnitus patients with normal audiograms by means of auditory brainstem response (ABR) and explore the origin of tinnitus.@*METHOD@#Pure tone thresholds, ABR thresholds, amplitude of wave I and wave V of ABR were analyzed in 40 tinnitus patients and 15 controls.@*RESULT@#There was no significantly difference in pure tone thresholds and ABR thresholds between those tinnitus patients and controls while a reduced amplitude of wave I and normal amplitude of wave V of ABR in the tinnitus patients became evident.@*CONCLUSION@#Tinnitus patients with normal audiograms have hidden hearing loss at the level of primary auditory nerve and the generation of tinnitus is likely attributed to a homeostatic response of neurons in brainstem.