Cover Story
Head Noise: Tinnitus and the Human Brain
Tinnitus is a neurological condition, not merely an ear malady. Understanding the pathology of tinnitus in the brain is important, as it helps doctors and patients identify the most effective tinnitus management strategies.
To help our readers better understand the neurobiology of tinnitus, ATA interviewed Fatima Husain, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Husain has been researching the brain and tinnitus for ten years and is one of the leading academics in the field. Dr. Husain currently serves on ATA’s Scientific Advisory Committee.
BEN FORSTAG, EDITOR, TINNITUS TODAY: Hello, Dr. Husain. Thank you for sharing your time today and for helping to explain the role of the brain in the generation and perception of tinnitus.
FATIMA HUSAIN, PH.D.: My pleasure—I’m glad to help. It’s important that tinnitus patients fully under- stand how tinnitus works, as this knowledge informs how they can best manage and treat tinnitus as a medical condition.
BF: You’ve been studying the brain and tinnitus for a long time and have become one of the top researchers in the field. Why did you decide to focus your research on tinnitus?
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FH: I was driven primarily by personal reasons. I was Tinnitus Today | Summer 2014
already studying auditory and cognitive neuroscience. I have family members with tinnitus, and I began reviewing literature on the condition to understand it better and to help them manage the symptoms. However, some of the unanswered questions—things we still don’t fully understand—in the field of tinni- tus bothered me enough that I decided to focus my research on the topic. I’m hoping to answer some of those questions with my own research.
BF: Can you briefly describe some of the research you’ve done in the field?
FH: Together, with my colleagues and students, I have used MRI and fMRI to understand the biological mechanisms of patients’ tinnitus perceptions and reactions. Research into tinnitus has also led me to
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