Cortical representations of auditory phantom-perception (tinnitus)

Background: Chronic tinnitus is a frequent and often severely disabling symptom of different disorders of the auditory system (Lockwood et al. N Engl J Med 2002;347:904). Recent evidence points to a pivotal role of the central nervous system and particularly cortical functions in the pathophysiology of tinnitus (Norena & Eggermont Hear Res 2003;183:137). In this model, 'auditory phantom perception' is the consequence of deafferentation-induced disinhibition in the central auditory system, reflected in irregular hyperactivity of neuronal networks integrated in the processing of auditory information (Eggermont & R…