Cognitive Mechanisms in Chronic Tinnitus: Psychological Markers of a Failure to Switch Attention

Abstract

The cognitive mechanisms underpinning chronic tinnitus (CT; phantom auditory perceptions) are underexplored but may reflect a failure to switch attention away from a tinnitus sound. Here, we investigated a range of components that influence the ability to switch attention, including cognitive control, inhibition, working memory and mood, on the presence and severity of CT. Our participants with tinnitus showed significant impairments in cognitive control and inhibition as well as lower levels of emotional well-being, compared to healthy-hearing participants. Moreover, the subjective cognitive complaints of tinnitus participants correlated with their emotional well-being whereas complaints in healthy participants correlated with objective cognitive functioning. Combined, cognitive control and depressive symptoms correctly classified 67% of participants. These results demonstrate the core role of cognition in CT. They also provide the foundations for a neurocognitive account of the maintenance of tinnitus, involving impaired interactions between the neurocognitive networks underpinning attention-switching and mood.

Association of Chronic Subjective Tinnitus with Neuro-Cognitive Performance

“…The positive correlation of tinnitus handicap with BVMG scores in present study further suggest that patients' perceived tinnitus impact was associated with visuo-motor executive ability. Non-concordance with previous study findings might be due to difference in cognitive tasks 19 .…”

“…Inclusion criteria for selection in the study were: patients with consistent idiopathic subjective tinnitus, tinnitus onset since 10 weeks or more (≥ 2.5 months), and those who gave their written consent for the study, before starting their tinnitus management. Onset duration ≥ 2.5 months was considered as chronic tinnitus in concordance with neuro-cognitive studies 19,20 and chronic pain definition in ICD10. Exclusion criteria were: patients having any external or middle ear pathology, suspected of Meniere's disease or otosclerosis, having acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwanomma, with history of ototoxicity, sudden hearing loss, ear trauma, noise induced hearing loss, having any systemic disorders, and/ or any other organic neurological or psychiatric disease.…”

Neurocognition of Aged Patients With Chronic Tinnitus: Focus on Mild Cognitive Impairment

“…Cognitive function typically involves attention, concentration, use of working memory and information processing [6]. Several studies have evaluated the association between cognitive impairment and chronic tinnitus; tinnitus patients showed poor performance in various cognitive tasks involving attention and working memory [9][10][11]. A significant correlation between cognitive processing speed and tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) was found in patients with bothersome tinnitus (THI score ≥30) [12].…”

COVID-19 Associated Anxiety Enhances Tinnitus: A Case Control Study

“…This link has been thoroughly reviewed, repeatedly, by different authors (e.g., [9][10][11][12][13][14][15]). The direction and causality of this link remain unclear, as pointed out in many previous studies, although individuals' emotional states appear to be an important factor mediating the effects of tinnitus loudness on tinnitus-related distress [16][17][18]; anxiety, somatization, and in particular depression have also been identi ed as possible mediators of tinnitus-related distress [19][20][21][22].…”