Sound therapy retrains the brain’s auditory and emotional networks

[newsmaster]

The effects of sound therapy in tinnitus are characterized by altered limbic and auditory networks.

• The study examined the effects of 12 weeks of individualized sound therapy on 30 tinnitus patients with normal hearing, compared to healthy controls.
  
• Resting-state fMRI measured local brain activity (ALFF) and functional connectivity before and after therapy.
  
• Before therapy, patients had elevated activity in the left parahippocampal gyrus, which decreased after therapy toward normal levels.
  
• Activity in the right Heschl’s gyrus (primary auditory cortex) increased after therapy.
  
• Functional connectivity between the parahippocampal gyrus and limbic regions strengthened after therapy, indicating altered brain network interactions.
  
• Changes in brain activity and connectivity correlated with reductions in tinnitus symptoms.
  

Key takeaway: Sound therapy reduces tinnitus by reshaping brain activity and connectivity in auditory and emotional networks, not just masking the sound.