Reorganization of auditory cortex in tinnitus.

Summary

Using magnetic source imaging (MEG), the cortical representation of participants' own tinnitus frequency was found displaced from its expected tonotopic location, versus healthy controls. The magnitude of this displacement correlated strongly (r=0.82) with how loud participants rated their tinnitus, direct evidence linking map reorganization to symptom severity, and drawing an explicit parallel to phantom-limb pain.

Key findings

• Cortical representation of the tinnitus frequency was shifted 5.3mm from its expected tonotopic location (vs 2.5mm in controls).
• Reorganization magnitude correlated strongly with subjective tinnitus loudness (r=0.82).
• Proposed tinnitus as an auditory analog of phantom-limb pain, both linked to cortical reorganization.