discovered - the part of your brain that makes your ears ring.

are you one of the millions of people in the world that hear a constant ringing in your ears? then you'll be happy to know that researchers have figured out where in the brain that ringing- called tinnitus - originates.

using pet imaging, a technique for mapping activity in the brain, researchers have discovered that the phantom ringing isn't based in the cochlea or other ear parts at all. it actually originates deep inside the central auditory system.

pet scan image of the brain of a person suffering from tinnitus.  the large yellow area at right is the area activated by tinnitus.  the smaller yellow areas represent movement involved with clenching of the jaw - a technique that allows some people to change the intensity of the ringing they hear.
(image: dr. alan lockwood, suny buffalo)

guests:

dr. alan lockwood
professor of neurology, nuclear medicine, and communicative disorders and sciences
state university of new york at buffalo
research physician
veterans administration hospital
buffalo, new york

dr. richard salvi
professor of communicative disorders and sciences
state university of new york at buffalo
buffalo, new york

articles discussed:

"the functional neuroanatomy of tinnitus: evidence for limbic system links and neural plasticity," a.h. lockwood, r.j. salvi, m.l coad, m.l towsley, d.s. wack, and b.w. murphy. neurology, jan. 1998.

related links:

american tinnitus association
univeristy of buffalo's announcement of the findings

brian taylor ... web site developer in seattle washington