In-Ear Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation: Auditory Perception and Side Effects Depend on Electrode Montage, Frequency, and Direct Current-Offset

Noninvasive transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) of the cochlea might be a promising new therapeutic option for patients with chronic tinnitus. However, electric stimulation of small, sensitive target regions, such as the inner ear, can cause adverse side effects (SEs)....

Continue reading at PubMed →

No actionable change for current clinical practice — findings are exploratory and establish basic parameter dependencies for in-ear tACS; clinical protocols do not yet exist.

Understanding how electrode placement, frequency, and DC-offset shape both the perceptual and safety profile of in-ear tACS is a necessary step toward developing cochlear neuromodulation as a potential tinnitus or hearing rehabilitation therapy.

1. 01Electrode montage, stimulation frequency, and DC-offset each independently affect auditory perception and side effects of in-ear tACS.
2. 02Published in Neuromodulation (DOI: 10.1016/j.neurom.2026.06.480), a peer-reviewed neuromodulation journal.
3. 03Findings have implications for designing safe and effective cochlear neuromodulation protocols.
4. 04Study is mechanistic/parametric — no clinical outcomes (e.g., tinnitus relief or speech perception improvement) were reported.
5. 05Side-effect profile variability underscores the need for careful parameter optimization before human therapeutic use.

PMID

42573546

DOI

10.1016/j.neurom.2026.06.480.

Journal

Neuromodulation

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

4

Population

Participants receiving in-ear transcranial alternating current stimulation targeting the cochlea (specific population details not stated in abstract)

Intervention

In-ear transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) of the cochlea with varying electrode montages, frequencies, and DC-offsets

Comparator

Multiple tACS parameter configurations compared within study