Microstate in resting state: an EEG indicator of tinnitus?

Abstract

Background: Tinnitus was a subjective auditory phantom phenomenon which could be highly distressing and had no objective indicators for evaluation.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether and how did electroencephalography (EEG) microstates of subjective tinnitus patients change in resting state and whether could be an objective indicator for tinnitus.

Material and Methods: We enrolled chronic subjective tinnitus patients and matched age and gender with healthy controls. EEG recording, microstate analysis and statistical analysis were performed.

Results: We finally had 10 male and 8 female age-matched participants in tinnitus group and healthy control group. Statistical differences were found in the microstate A, C and D durations between the two groups (class A, p = .024; class B, p = .018; class D, p = .029). Microstate durations of class A and D had linear correlation with VAS scores in tinnitus patients (microstate A [R spare = 0.43, p = .003*]; microstate D [R spare = 0.46, p = .002*]).

Conclusions: Microstates had changed in chronic tinnitus patients and provided an indicator or perspective to explore the mechanisms of tinnitus. The maintenance of chronic subjective tinnitus may be related to changes in cerebral cortex activity.

Chinese abstract

背景：耳鸣是一种主观的听觉幻象, 可能会非常令人苦脑且没有客观的评价指标。

目的：本研究的目的是探讨主观性耳鸣患者在静息状态下的脑电图微状态是否及如何发生变化, 以及是否可能成为耳鸣的客观指标。

材料与方法：选入慢性主观性耳鸣患者, 年龄性别均与健康控制组相配。进行脑电记录、显微状态分析和统计分析。

结果：耳鸣组与健康对照组共有10名男性和8名女性年龄匹配者。发现两组间在微状态A、C和D下的持续时间的统计差异（A类, p ¼ 0.024；B类, p ¼ 0.018；D类, p ¼ 0.029）。A和D与耳鸣患者的VAS评分呈线性相关（微状态 A[R spare为 ¼ 0.43, p ¼ 0.003]；微状态D[R spare¼ 0.46, p ¼ 0.002]。

结论：慢性耳鸣患者的耳鸣微状态发生了改变, 为临床提供了一种新的观察指标来探讨耳鸣的发病机制。慢性主观性耳鸣的维持与大脑皮层活动的变化有关。

Keywords:

• Tinnitus
• microstate
• EEG
• subjective tinnitus

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 81820108009]; Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission [grant number Z161100000116038]; and Beijing Municipal Health Commission [grant number 2016-1-5014].