Tinnitus psychopharmacology: A comprehensive review of its pathomechanisms and management

Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment

Volumn 6, Issue 1, 2010, Pages 209-218

  Fornaro, Michele ^a   Martino, Matteo ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF GENOA   (Italy)

Author keywords

Cochlea; Psychopharmacology; Tinnitus

Indexed keywords

EID: 80052056398     PISSN: 11766328     EISSN: 11782021     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S10361     Document Type: Review

References (110)

1. Sequist LV. Protein degradation/chaperone system and histone deacetylase pathway. J Thorac Oncol. 2009;4(11 Suppl 3):S1077-S1078.
2. World Health Organization. International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems; Tenth edition (ICD-10). Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 1992.
3. Demeester K, van Wieringen A, Hendrickx JJ, et al. Prevalence of tinnitus and audiometric shape. B-ENT. 2007;3(Suppl 7):37-49.
4. Adoga AA, Adoga AS, Obindo JT. Tinnitus and the prevalence of co-morbid psychological stress. Niger J Med. 2008;17(1):95-97.
5. Sie KC, Rubel EW. Rapid changes in protein synthesis and cell size in the cochlear nucleus following eighth nerve activity blockade or cochlea ablation. J Comp Neurol. 1992;320(4):501-508.
6. Tzounopoulos T. Mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus:plasticity-induced changes that could underlie tinnitus. Am J Audiol. 2008;17(2):S170-S175.
7. Han BI, Lee HW, Kim TY, Lim JS, Shin KS. Tinnitus:characteristics causes mechanisms and treatments. J Clin Neurol. 2009;5(1):11-19.
8. Kemp DT. Stimulated acoustic emissions from within the human auditory system. J Acoust Soc Am. 1978;64:1386-1391.
9. Kiang NY, Moxon EC, Levine RA. Auditory-nerve activity in cats with normal and abnormal cochleas. In: Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Chicherter, West Sussex: Wiley, Ciba Found Symp; 1970: 241-273.
10. Jastreboff PJ. Hazell JW. A neurophysiological approach to tinnitus:clinical implications. Br J Audiol. 1993;27:7-17.
11. Kaltenbach JA, Zhang J, Finlayson P. Tinnitus as a plastic phenomenon and its possible neural underpinnings in the dorsal cochlear nucleus. Hear Res. 2005;206:200-226.
12. Salvi RJ, Wang J, Ding D. Auditory plasticity and hyperactivity following cochlear damage. Hear Res. 2000;147:261-274.
13. Møller AR. Pathophysiology of tinnitus. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1984;93:39-44.
14. Levine RA. Somatic (craniocervical) tinnitus and the dorsal cochlear nucleus hypothesis. Am J Otolaryngol. 1999;20:351-362.
15. Ling LL, Hughes LF, Caspary DM. Age-related loss of the GABA synthetic enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase in rat primary auditory cortex. Neuroscience. 2005;132(4):1103-1113.
16. Campos ML, de Cabo C, Wisden W, Juiz JM, Merlo D. Expression of GABA(A) receptor subunits in rat brainstem auditory pathways:cochlear nuclei superior olivary complex and nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. Neuroscience. 2001;102(3):625-638.
17. Rosenhall U, Karlsson AK. Tinnitus in old age. Scand Audiol. 1991;20(3):165-171.
18. Diaz SL, Barros VG, Antonelli MC, Rubio MC, Balerio GN. Morphine withdrawal syndrome and its prevention with baclofen: Autoradiographic study of mu-opioid receptors in prepubertal male and female mice. Synapse. 2006;60(2):132-140.
19. Brozoski TJ, Spires TJ, Bauer CA. Vigabatrin a GABA transaminase inhibitor reversibly eliminates tinnitus in an animal model. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2007;8(1):105-118.
20. Shulman A. Gabapentin and tinnitus relief. Int Tinnitus J. 2008;14(1):1-5.
21. Yang G, Lobarinas E, Zhang L, et al. Salicylate-induced tinnitus:behavioral measures and neural activity in auditory cortex of awake rats. Hear Res. 2007;226(1-2):244-253.
22. Tyler RS, Coelho C, Noble W. Tinnitus: standard of care, personality differences, genetic factors. ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 2006;68(1):14-19; discussion 20-2.
23. Folmer RL, Shi YB. SSRI use by tinnitus patients:interactions between depression and tinnitus severity. Ear Nose Throat J. 2004;83(2):107-112.
24. Lockwood AH, Salvi RJ, Coad ML, Towsley ML, Wack DS, Murphy BW. The functional neuroanatomy of tinnitus:evidence for limbic system links and neural plasticity. Neurology. 1998;50(1):114-120.
25. Brunoni AR, Lopes M, Fregni F. A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies on major depression and BDNF levels:implications for the role of neuroplasticity in depression. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2008;11(8):1169-1180.
26. Tan J, Rüttiger L, Panford-Walsh R, et al. Tinnitus behavior and hearing function correlate with the reciprocal expression patterns of BDNF and Arg3.1/arc in auditory neurons following acoustic trauma. Neuroscience. 2007;145(2):715-726.
27. Moller AR. Tinnitus and pain. Prog Brain Res. 2007;166:47-53.
28. Puel JL. Cochlear NMDA receptor blockade prevents salicylateinduced tinnitus. B-ENT. 2007;3(Suppl 7):19-22.
29. Guitton MJ, Caston J, Ruel J, Johnson RM, Pujol R, Puel JL. Salicylate induces tinnitus through activation of cochlear NMDA receptors. J Neurosci. 2003;23(9):3944-3952.
30. Guitton MJ, Dudai Y. Blockade of cochlear NMDA receptors prevents long-term tinnitus during a brief consolidation window after acoustic trauma. Neural Plast. 2007;2007:80904.
31. Pomara N, Ott BR, Peskind E, Resnick EM. Memantine treatment of cognitive symptoms in mild to moderate Alzheimer disease:secondary analyses from a placebo-controlled randomized trial. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2007;21(1):60-64.
32. Oliver D, Ludwig J, Reisinger E, Zoellner W, Ruppersberg JP, Fakler B. Memantine inhibits efferent cholinergic transmission in the cochlea by blocking nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of outer hair cells. Mol Pharmacol. 2001;60(1):183-189.
33. Mason BJ. Treatment of alcohol-dependent outpatients with acamprosate:a clinical review. J Clin Psychiatry. 2001;62(Suppl 20):42-48.
34. Mann K, Kiefer F, Spanagel R, Littleton J. Acamprosate: Recent findings and future research directions. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2008;32(7):1105-1110.
35. Azevedo AA, Figueiredo RR. Tinnitus treatment with acamprosate: double-blind study. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2005;71(5):618-623.
36. Peng BG, Chen S, Lin X. Aspirin selectively augmented N-methyl- D-aspartate types of glutamate responses in cultured spiral ganglion neurons of mice. Neurosci Lett. 2003;343(1):21-24.
37. Puel JL, Ruel J, Gervais d'Aldin C, Pujol R. Excitotoxicity and repair of cochlear synapses after noise-trauma induced hearing loss. Neuroreport. 1998;9(9):2109-2114.
38. Muly SM, Gross JS, Potashner SJ. Noise trauma alters D-[3H]aspartate release and AMPA binding in chinchilla cochlear nucleus. J Neurosci Res. 2004;75(4):585-596.
39. Guitton MJ, Pujol R, Puel JL. m-Chlorophenylpiperazine exacerbates perception of salicylate-induced tinnitus in rats. Eur J Neurosci. 2005;22(10):2675-2678.
40. Weise C, Heinecke K, Rief W. Stability of physiological variables in chronic tinnitus sufferers. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2008;33(3):149-159.
41. Sziklai I. The significance of the calcium signal in the outer hair cells and its possible role in tinnitus of cochlear origin. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2004;261(10):517-525.
42. Narváez M, Figueras A, Capellà D, Laporte JR. Tinnitus with calciumchannel blockers. Lancet. 1994;343(8907):1229-1230.
43. Puel JL, Guitton MJ. Salicylate-induced tinnitus:molecular mechanisms and modulation by anxiety. Prog Brain Res. 2007;166:141-146.
44. Eggermont JJ. Tinnitus:neurobiological substrates. Drug Discov Today. 2005;10(19):1283-1290.
45. Elgoyhen AB, Katz E, Fuchs PA. The nicotinic receptor of cochlear hair cells:a possible pharmacotherapeutic target? Biochem Pharmacol. 2009;78(7):712-719.
46. Jimenez-Ruiz C, Berlin I, Hering T. Varenicline:a novel pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. Drugs. 2009;69(10):1319-1338.
47. Baldo P, Doree C, Lazzarini R, Molin P, McFerran DJ. Antidepressants for patients with tinnitus. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;(4):CD003853.
48. Robinson S. Antidepressants for treatment of tinnitus. Prog Brain Res. 2007;166:263-271.
49. Dobie RA. Depression and tinnitus. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2003;36(2):383-388.
50. Chandra RK, Epstein VA, Fishman A.J. Prevalence of depression and antidepressant use in an otolaryngology patient population. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2009;141(1):136-138.
51. Sullivan M, Katon W, Russo J, Dobie R, Sakai C. A randomized trial of nortriptyline for severe chronic tinnitus. Effects on depression disability and tinnitus symptoms. Arch Intern Med. 1993;153(19):2251-2259.
52. Dobie RA, Sakai CS, Sullivan MD, Katon WJ, Russo J. Antidepressant treatment of tinnitus patients:report of a randomized clinical trial and clinical prediction of benefit. Am J Otol. 1993;14(1):18-23.
53. Dobie RA, Sakai CS, Sullivan MD, Katon WJ, Russo J. Antidepressant treatment of tinnitus patients. Interim report of a randomized clinical trial. Acta Otolaryngol. 1992;112(2):242-247.
54. Evans DL, Golden RN. Protriptyline and tinnitus. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1981;1(6):404-406.
55. Golden RN, Evans DL, Nau CH. Doxepin and tinnitus. South Med J. 1983;76(9):1204-1205.
56. Mihail RC, Crowley JM, Walden BE, Fishburne J, Reinwall JE, Zajtchuk JT. The tricyclic trimipramine in the treatment of subjective tinnitus. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1988;97(2 Pt 1):120-123.
57. Ackerman DL, Greenland S, Bystritsky A, Katz RJ. Relationship between early side effects and therapeutic effects of clomipramine therapy in obsessive-compulsive disorder. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1996;16(4): 324-328.
58. Mendis D, Johnston M. An unusual case of prolonged tinnitus following low-dose amitriptyline. J Psychopharmacol. 2008;22(5):574-575.
59. Podoshin L, Ben-David Y, Fradis M, Malatskey S, Hafner H. Idiopathic subjective tinnitus treated by amitriptyline hydrochloride/biofeedback. Int Tinnitus J. 1995;1(1):54-60.
60. Bayar N, Böke B, Turan E, Belgin E. Efficacy of amitriptyline in the treatment of subjective tinnitus. J Otolaryngol. 2001;30(5):300-303.
61. Dib GC, Kasse CA, Alves de Andrade T, Gurgel Testa JR, Cruz OL. Tinnitus treatment with trazodone. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2007;73(3):390-397.
62. Marais J. Cochleotoxicity due to mianserin hydrochloride. J Laryngol Otol. 1991;105(6):475-476.
63. Zoger S, Svedlund J, Holgers KM. The effects of sertraline on severe tinnitus suffering--a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2006;26(1):32-39.
64. Leiter FL, Nierenberg AA, Sanders KM, Stern TA. Discontinuation reactions following sertraline. Biol Psychiatry. 1995;38(10):694-695.
65. Robinson SK, Viirre ES, Bailey KA, Gerke MA, Harris JP, Stein MB. Randomized placebo-controlled trial of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in the treatment of nondepressed tinnitus subjects. Psychosom Med. 2005;67(6):981-988.
66. Shemen L. Fluoxetine for treatment of tinnitus. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1998;118(3 Pt 1):421.
67. Pondrom MF, Brahm NC. Venlafaxine-associated tinnitus. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2009;66(18):1606-1608.
68. Ahmad S. Venlafaxine and severe tinnitus. Am Fam Physician. 1995;51(8):1830.
69. De Marinis M, Santilli V. Tinnitus in postherpetic neuralgia. J Headache Pain. 2010;11(1):83-84.
70. Humma LM, Swims MP. Bupropion mimics a transient ischemic attack. Ann Pharmacother. 1999;33(3):305-307.
71. Settle EC. Tinnitus related to bupropion treatment. J Clin Psychiatry. 1991;52(8):352.
72. D'Amelio R, Delb W. Comorbidity of schizophrenic psychosis and tinnitus. A hitherto neglected theme in research and therapy. HNO. 2008;56(7):670-672.
73. Lopez-Gonzalez MA, Moliner-Peiro F, Alfaro-Garcia J, Esteban- Ortega F. Sulpiride plus hydroxyzine decrease tinnitus perception. Auris Nasus Larynx. 2007;34(1):23-27.
74. Lopez-Gonzalez MA, Santiago AM, Esteban-Ortega F. Sulpiride and melatonin decrease tinnitus perception modulating the auditolimbic dopaminergic pathway. J Otolaryngol. 2007;36(4):213-219.
75. Neri G, Baffa C, De Stefano A, et al. Management of tinnitus:oral treatment with melatonin and sulodexide. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2009;23(2):103-110.
76. Owen RT. Agomelatine: A novel pharmacological approach to treating depression. Drugs Today (Barc). 2009;45(8):599-608.
77. Hulshof JH, Vermeij P. The value of carbamazepine in the treatment of tinnitus. ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 1985;47(5):262-266.
78. Sanchez TG, Balbani AP, Bittar RS, Bento RF, Câmara J. Lidocaine test in patients with tinnitus:rationale of accomplishment and relation to the treatment with carbamazepine. Auris Nasus Larynx. 1999;26(4):411-417.
79. Zheng Y, Hooton K, Smith PF, Darlington CL Carbamazepine reduces the behavioural manifestations of tinnitus following salicylate treatment in rats. Acta Otolaryngol. 2008;128(1):48-52.
80. She W, Dai Y, Du X, Chen F, Ding X, Cui X. Treatment of subjective tinnitus:a comparative clinical study of intratympanic steroid injection vs. oral carbamazepine. Med Sci Monit. 2009;15(6):PI35-PI39.
81. Levine RA. Typewriter tinnitus:a carbamazepine-responsive syndrome related to auditory nerve vascular compression. ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 2006;68(1):43-47.
82. Brantberg K. Paroxysmal staccato tinnitus:a carbamazepine responsive hyperactivity dysfunction symptom of the eighth cranial nerve. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2010;81(4):451-455.
83. Mansbach AL, Freyens P. Tinnitus:current data and treatment with sodium valproate. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Belg. 1983;37(5): 697-705.
84. Menkes DB, Larson PM. Sodium valproate for tinnitus. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1998;65(5):803.
85. Hori A, Kataoka S, Sakai K, et al. Valproic acid-induced hearing loss and tinnitus. Intern Med. 2003;42(11):1153-1154.
86. Yildirim C, Yaǧiz R, Uzun C, Taş A, Bulut E, Karasalihoǧlu A. The protective effect of oral magnesium supplement on noise-induced hearing loss. Kulak Burun Bogaz Ihtis Derg. 2006;16(1):29-36.
87. Reeves RR, Mustain DW, Pendarvis JE. Valproate-induced tinnitus misinterpreted as psychotic symptoms. South Med J. 2000;93(10):1030-1031.
88. Simpson JJ, Gilbert AM, Weiner GM, Davies WE. The assessment of lamotrigine an antiepileptic drug in the treatment of tinnitus. Am J Otol. 1999;20(5):627-631.
89. Bauer CA, Brozoski TJ. Effect of gabapentin on the sensation and impact of tinnitus. Laryngoscope. 2006;116(5):675-681.
90. Witsell DL, Hannley MT, Stinnet S, Tucci DL. Treatment of tinnitus with gabapentin:a pilot study. Otol Neurotol. 2007;28(1):11-15.
91. Piccirillo JF, Finnell J, Vlahiotis A, Chole RA, Spitznagel E Jr. Relief of idiopathic subjective tinnitus:is gabapentin effective? Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2007;133(4):390-397.
92. Bakhshaee M, Ghasemi M, Azarpazhooh M, et al. Gabapentin effectiveness on the sensation of subjective idiopathic tinnitus:a pilot study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2008;265(5):525-530.
93. Davies E, Knox E, Donaldson I. The usefulness of nimodipine an L-calcium channel antagonist in the treatment of tinnitus. Br J Audiol. 1994;28(3):125-129.
94. Plenge U, Moller AM. Development of sustained vasodilatory shock and permanent loss of hearing after severe lithium carbonate poisoning. Ugeskr Laeger. 2008;170(5):354.
95. Hobara T, Uchida S, Otsuki K, et al. Altered gene expression of histone deacetylases in mood disorder patients. J Psychiatr Res. 2010;44(5):263-270.
96. Hall AC, Brennan A, Goold RG, et al. Valproate regulates GSK-3- mediated axonal remodeling and synapsin I clustering in developing neurons. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2002;20(2):257-270.
97. Daftary A, Shulman A, Strashun AM, Gottschalk C, Zoghbi SS, Seibyl JP. Benzodiazepine receptor distribution in severe intractable tinnitus. Int Tinnitus J. 2004;10(1):17-23.
98. Bahmad FM, Venosa AR, Oliveira CA. Benzodiazepines and GABAergics in treating severe disabling tinnitus of predominantly cochlear origin. Int Tinnitus J. 2006;12(2):140-144.
99. Jalali MM, Kousha A, Naghavi SE, Soleimani R, Banan R. The effects of alprazolam on tinnitus:a cross-over randomized clinical trial. Med Sci Monit. 2009;15(11):PI55-P160.
100. Panford-Walsh R, Singer W, Rüttiger L, et al. Midazolam reverses salicylate-induced changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and arg3.1 expression:implications for tinnitus perception and auditory plasticity. Mol Pharmacol. 2008;74(3):595-604.
101. Ganança MM, Caovilla HH, Ganança FF, et al. Clonazepam in the pharmacological treatment of vertigo and tinnitus. Int Tinnitus J. 2002;8(1):50-53.
102. Albertino S, Assuncao AR, Souza JA. Pulsatile tinnitus:treatment with clonazepam and propranolol. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2005;71(1):111-113.
103. Szczepaniak WS, Moller AR. Effects of (-)-baclofen clonazepam and diazepam on tone exposure-induced hyperexcitability of the inferior colliculus in the rat:possible therapeutic implications for pharmacological management of tinnitus and hyperacusis. Hear Res. 1996;97(1-2):46-53.
104. Busto U, Fornazzari L, Naranjo CA. Protracted tinnitus after discontinuation of long-term therapeutic use of benzodiazepines. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1988;8(5):359-362.
105. Busto U, Sellers EM, Naranjo CA, Cappell H, Sanchez-Craig M, Sykora K. Withdrawal reaction after long-term therapeutic use of benzodiazepines. N Engl J Med. 1986;315(14):854-859.
106. Coelho CB, Tyler R, Hansen M. Zinc as a possible treatment for tinnitus. Prog Brain Res. 2007;166:279-285.
107. Ueda S. Treatment of tinnitus with intravenous lidocaine. Nippon Jibiinkoka Gakkai Kaiho. 1992;95(9):1389-1397.
108. Láinez MJ, Piera Botulinum toxin for the treatment of somatic tinnitus. Prog Brain Res. 2007;166:335-338.
109. Enrico P, Sirca D, Mereu M. Antioxidants minerals vitamins and herbal remedies in tinnitus therapy. Prog Brain Res. 2007;166:323-330.
110. Delb W, D'Amelio R, Boisten CJ, Plinkert PK. Evaluation of the tinnitus retraining therapy as combined with a cognitive behavioral group therapy. HNO. 2002;50(11):997-1004.