Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) biomarkers of tinnitus severity within tinnitus subtypes

Tinnitus, the perception of sounds not present externally, can significantly impair quality of life. Currently there are no clinically available objective measures to enable monitoring of tinnitus-related changes in brain activity. Our previous work demonstrated sensitivity of a non-invasive imaging technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to changes in brain activity associated with tinnitus...

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✦ The floor

Discussion

Signed responses from readers of the wire.

✦ Clinical Takeaway ✦

No actionable change yet; fNIRS biomarkers for tinnitus severity remain exploratory and are not validated for clinical use, but this work advances the search for an objective tinnitus measurement tool.

✦ Why It Matters ✦

An objective, brain-based measure of tinnitus severity would fill a critical gap in diagnosis and treatment monitoring, since clinicians currently rely entirely on patient self-report.

✦ Key Points ✦

01fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy) was used to identify potential brain-based biomarkers of tinnitus severity.
02The study examined whether biomarker patterns differ across distinct tinnitus subtypes.
03Published in Hearing Research (DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2026.109680).
04Objective tinnitus measurement is a major unmet need; self-report scales remain the current clinical standard.
05Findings may inform future subtype-specific tinnitus interventions if biomarkers are validated in larger studies.

✦ Claims & Evidence ✦

ClaimEvidenceSupport

fNIRS can detect biomarkers that reflect tinnitus severity.

studypartially supported

fNIRS biomarker patterns differ across distinct tinnitus subtypes.

studypartially supported

✦ Research metadata ✦

PMID: 42202545
DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2026.109680.
Journal: Hearing Research
Publication type: research_article
Evidence level: 4
Population: Adults with tinnitus, categorized into distinct tinnitus subtypes
Intervention: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measurement of cortical hemodynamic activity as a biomarker of tinnitus severity

Primary outcomes

fNIRS-derived biomarkers correlated with tinnitus severity; Differences in fNIRS biomarker profiles across tinnitus subtypes

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