Object identification and attention training for treating tinnitus.

We hypothesize that abnormal attention and auditory scene analysis contribute to the severity of tinnitus and that the incongruence between tinnitus and normal auditory perception is responsible for its resistance to traditional sound-based habituation therapies. New methods of treatment using auditory and visual attention training are proposed as a means to augment counseling and sound therapies for tinnitus management. Attention training has been demonstrated to improve an individuals' ability to attend to relevant sounds while ignoring distracters. The main aim of the current study was to determine the effectiveness of structured Auditory Object Identification and Localization (AOIL) tasks to train persons to ignore their tinnitus. The study looked at the effects of a 15-day (30 min/day) take-home auditory training program on individuals with severe tinnitus. Pitch-matched tinnitus loudness levels (TLLs), tinnitus minimum masking levels (MMLs) and measures of attention were compared before and after the auditory training. The results of this study suggest that short-duration auditory training which actively engages attention, object identification and which requires a response from participants, reduces tinnitus. There was a greater effect on pitch-matched tinnitus MMLs than on actual TLLs. The reason(s) for this are unclear, although a correlation found between changes in MMLs and improvements in the ability to shift attention may be one underlying reason. Although this study followed a small number of participants over a limited time-span, it is believed that the training and accompanying model are a promising approach to investigate and treat some forms of tinnitus.