WHITBY: Working Towards Better Healthcare Interventions for Tinnitus: a Brain Stimulation StudY

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM · Oct 2, 2024

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ClinConnect Summary

The WHITBY trial is studying a new treatment for tinnitus, which is a condition where people hear sounds that aren't actually there, like ringing in the ears. This condition affects about 15% of people and can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression. The trial will test a method called transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), which uses low-dose electrical stimulation to change the brain activity linked to tinnitus. The goal is to see if this approach can effectively help reduce the perception of tinnitus in patients.

To participate in this study, you need to be at least 18 years old and experiencing subjective tinnitus (the type that you hear but isn't caused by an external sound). You'll also need to understand English well enough to give informed consent and be able to safely undergo the tDCS procedure. The study will involve 40 participants, and those who join can expect to help researchers figure out the best way to use tDCS and measure any changes in their tinnitus. Although the trial is not yet recruiting, it represents an important step toward finding a potential treatment for this challenging condition.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Aged 18 or over
• • Suffering from subjective idiopathic tinnitus
• • Sufficient understanding of English to be able to provide informed consent
• • Able to safely undergo tDCS
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Aged under 18
• • Not suffering from tinnitus or suffering from objective tinnitus
• • Insufficient understanding of English to be able to provide informed consent
• • Unable to safely undergo tDCS as assessed by tDCS Safety Questionnaire
• • Having taken part in a research study in the last 3 months involving invasive procedures or an inconvenience allowance