Dynamic and static spontaneous activity alterations and neurotransmitter coupling in chronic tinnitus

This study combined static and dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (sALFF and dALFF) to investigate the abnormalities of local spontaneous brain activity in patients with chronic tinnitus and their relationships with the spatial distributions of multiple neurotransmitters, thereby providing a theoretical basis for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying chronic tinnitus.

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No actionable change — this neuroimaging study advances mechanistic understanding of tinnitus brain signatures but does not yet translate to diagnostic tools or treatment modifications in clinical practice.

Identifying stable and dynamic brain activity signatures in chronic tinnitus, alongside neurotransmitter coupling, may eventually guide the development of targeted neuromodulation or pharmacological therapies for a condition with very few effective treatments.

1. 01Both static and dynamic ALFF (amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations) measures revealed abnormal spontaneous brain activity in chronic tinnitus patients.
2. 02Neurotransmitter system coupling patterns were linked to the observed brain activity abnormalities.
3. 03Dynamic ALFF captures how brain activity fluctuates over time, adding temporal detail beyond static measures.
4. 04Study published in Brain Research Bulletin, a peer-reviewed neuroscience journal.
5. 05Findings support a central (brain-based) model of chronic tinnitus rather than purely peripheral (ear-based) origin.

PMID

42716315

DOI

10.1016/j.brainresbull.2026.112115.

Journal

Brain Research Bulletin

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

4

Population

Adults with chronic tinnitus compared to healthy controls

Intervention

Resting-state fMRI with static and dynamic ALFF analysis and neurotransmitter coupling assessment

Comparator

Healthy controls without tinnitus