“ We are trying to understand why, with similar hearing abilities, some people have tinnitus and others do not. Could there be differences at the brain level?“,” asks Séverine Samson, a researcher and professor of cognitive and emotional neuroscience at the Pasteur Institute, who leads the GhostTone study. She aims to include around one hundred people in the study to uncover the origins of tinnitus in their brains.
Mood, anxiety, attention: tinnitus is associated with cognitive disturbances
Repetitive, systematic, and unpleasant, the noise perceived in the presence of tinnitus can be a source of suffering. But where does it come from? Often associated with tinnitus, hearing loss has long been considered the cause of the disorder. In reality, while it is certainly a significant risk factor for its onset, it is not necessarily the cause of the suffering experienced, as determined by recent work published in the journal Nature CommunicationsCo-authored by Séverine Samson, this research is based on over 400,000 cases recorded in the vast UK Biobank database. This research identified risk factors for both the perception of tinnitus and its severity. In addition to hearing loss, mood disorders, sleep quality, and neuroticism (a tendency to experience negative emotions) are risk factors for its severity, which also help predict the future evolution of the associated suffering. It is therefore not surprising that The brain regions activated in the presence of tinnitus are not only auditory but also linked to memory, mood management, and anxiety." , comments Séverine Samson.
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Patients complain in particular of impaired attentional and cognitive abilities. People with tinnitus often complain of problems concentrating, maintaining attention, and detecting warning signs.“,” points out Séverine Samson. Furthermore, while hearing loss can explain other cognitive disorders, it is tinnitus itself that explains attentional disorders. This was demonstrated for the first time by their Audiocog project, the results of which were published in January 2026.
PARTICIPATE! If you are between 18 and 40 years old and are either in perfect health (to form the control group) or suffer from tinnitus without any other major hearing impairment, please apply at the following address: ghosttone@pasteur.frThe protocol will require approximately three to four hours of attendance at the Hearing Institute in Paris, and will therefore be compensated. It includes several tests, notably a complete hearing assessment, the results of which will be provided to participants.
GhostTone, searching for tinnitus markers in the brain
In fact, tinnitus could be linked to specific difficulties whose neurobiological basis is not well understood. That's where GhostTone comes in! "announces Séverine Samson. After a complete hearing test, the hundred or so participants will answer questionnaires and complete tests while their brain activity is recorded by electroencephalogram, a non-invasive and safe method." We are trying to identify electrophysiological markers of the presence of tinnitus, an essential step in understanding the symptom of tinnitus, which is a subjective disorder that no one else can hear. This step is crucial for the development of future therapies." explains Séverine Samson.
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Researchers have several hypotheses about the brain mechanisms behind tinnitus. First, it could result from an error in the brain's prediction of sound. People with tinnitus may also have a certain vulnerability that makes them more sensitive to the sounds they hear.“,” also suggests Séverine Samson. Buzzing, intermittent sounds, whistling—researchers also aim to explore the association between these different types of tinnitus and patient profiles. The first results, which should be released around the halfway point of the study in about two years, promise to be interesting. It is entirely possible that tinnitus is a heterogeneous disorder in which all these potential mechanisms are involved, depending on the patient." , anticipates Séverine Samson. With, she hopes, concrete therapeutic options as a result.
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