Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback (NFB) for tinnitus is currently under research in several independent labs. In recent times, NFB established itself as a clinical intervention option for a variety of chronic brain diseases, while its efficacy and exact mechanisms of action are still under scrutiny. In this chapter, we present and review the current state of research of NFB in the context of tinnitus, discuss results, identify open issues, new methodological avenues, and finally conclude with recommendations for NFB research and application. The majority of studies identified employ EEG NFB based on an early finding of diminished auditory alpha band power in individuals with tinnitus. These studies iterated on either better localization of the aberrant tinnitus neural activity, individualization of NFB protocols, or mobile application. A single study diverged from this pattern by targeting a different putative neural correlate of tinnitus. FMRI NFB approaches are still under development, with merely two low-evidence pilot studies published to this day. In future, NFB research in tinnitus would profit from better-controlled reproducible studies, further individualization of protocols and consideration of tinnitus heterogeneity, application of novel technology and methods, and multicenter transdisciplinary research efforts.