Tinnitus Today Aug 2009

August 2009Vol. 34, Number 2
Abroadand
hereathome,
scientistsmoveus
closertoacure.
A publication of the American Tinnitus Association

2 Tinnitus Today | August 2009
Hello. I’m the same Lisa, now with my married
name of Hutton!
Thank You for Taking ATA’s Member Survey
We are very grateful to the 1,137 members
who responded to our online Member Survey!
Your thoughts are an important element in
ATA remaining an informed and successful
organization. Look for survey results at
www.ata.org later this summer and in the
December 2009 Tinnitus Today.
Selected Survey Highlights
Please see some early survey results
on page 4 of this issue.
ATA’s Support Network
Check out the updated listings
at www.ata.org or contact me at
lisa@ata.org or (800) 634-8978 x219
to learn more. We send e-mail
updates to inform and remind our
members of upcoming support group
meetings, including those with guest
speakers. We send other important ATA updates as
well. Please call or e-mail me if you would like to
add your e-mail address to the list.
National Tinnitus Awareness Week (TAW)
The 2009 TAW activities truly reflected its theme,
“What YOU Can Do To Cure Tinnitus.” Individuals
in their own towns, cities and states celebrated
TAW, raising awareness about tinnitus and the
urgent need for a cure. A few TAW activities
included:
n ATA held its first ever Walk For A Cure
(see page 14) and “Hope & Help for Living
With Tinnitus,” a seminar, (see page 10) in
Southern California on May 16 – both events
organized by dedicated volunteers.
Members Corner
Lisa F. Hutton, ATA Manager of Member Services
n Earl O. Hutchinson, political activist, tinnitus
sufferer and radio personality, interviewed
Scott C. Mitchell, J.D., ATA’s recent past board chair,
on “The Hutchinson Report,” broadcast on radio
station 1460 AM in Los Angeles and streamed
on KTYM.com. Scott addressed ATA’s mission
to cure tinnitus. The interview is available at
www.ata.org/news-pubs.
n ATA honored its Congressional Champions
(see page 18).
n Linda Beach, co-coordinator of the South New
Jersey Tinnitus Support Group, and her husband,
State Senator Jim Beach (D-NJ 6th District), cham-
pioned the Tinnitus Awareness Week resolution
declared in New Jersey’s state legislature.
Your Members Section and
Health Professional Updates
Visit your Tinnitus Information
Center in the Members Section –
www.ata.org/members – with its
robust archive of Tinnitus Today
articles and all the health profes-
sionals on ATA’s listing. We recently
added icons (at right) to the listing
to accurately reflect each health
care professional and/or clinic’s
type of ATA membership.
ATA does not award professional
credentials, so please consider our
listing as a starting point rather than a referral list. We
include information provided by various professionals
so that you can contact them and select someone
whose services best fit your needs. We update the
listings on a regular basis and when available, provide
a link to a professional’s Web site where they often list
their training and treatment options in more detail.
Research Champions
Professional Members
ATA member
As ATA members, you
are the cornerstone
of our organization
and the reason for our
commitment to a cure.
Again, thank you for
your ongoing support
of our mission and
for renewing your
ATA membership.

3August 2009 | Tinnitus Today
Editorial and advertising office: American Tinnitus Association, P.O. Box 5, Portland, OR 97207 • (503) 248-9985, (800) 634-8978 • tinnitus@ata.org • www.ata.org
Michael Malusevic, Executive Director
Nina Rogozen, Editor
Tinnitus Today is published three times a year, in April,August and
December, and mailed to American Tinnitus Association members
and donors. Circulation is rotated to 75,000 annually.
The American Tinnitus Association is a nonprofit human health
and welfare agency under 26 USC 501(c)(3).
©2009 American Tinnitus Association. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form, or by any means, without the prior written permission of
the Publisher. ISSN: 0897-6368 (print). ISSN: 1530-6569 (online).
Board of Directors
Gary P. Reul, Ed.D., Chair, Issaquah, Wash.
Mark K. Johnson, J.D., Vice Chair, Anchorage, Alaska
Barbara Kennedy, Secretary, Mays Landing, N.J.
J. Scott Simons, Treasurer, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Anthony T. Cacace, Ph.D., Detroit, Mich.
Neil Cherian, M.D., Cleveland Heights, Ohio
James O. Chinnis Jr., Ph.D., Warrenton, Va.
Michelle Dapolito, Hoboken, N.J.
Marsha Johnson, Au.D., FAAA, Portland, Ore.
Thomas J. Lobl, Ph.D., Valencia, Calif.
Scott C. Mitchell, J.D., C.P.A., Houston, Texas
Michael O’Rourke, Arlington, Va.
Michael J. A. Robb, M.D., Phoenix, Ariz.
Joseph Trevisani, New York, N.Y.
Honorary Directors
Peter & Joan Graves, Beverly Hills, Calif.
Mark O. Hatfield, U.S. Senate-Retired, Washington, D.C.
William Shatner, Los Angeles, Calif.
Jack A. Vernon, Ph.D., Portland, Ore.
Scientific Advisory Committee
Anthony T. Cacace, Ph.D., Chair, Detroit, Mich.
Paul J. Abbas, Ph.D., Iowa City, Iowa
Thomas J. Brozoski, Ph.D., Springfield, Ill.
Donald Caspary, Ph.D., Springfield, Ill.
Craig Formby, Ph.D., CCC-A, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Donald A. Godfrey, Ph.D., Toledo, Ohio
James (Jay) W. Hall III, Ph.D., FAAA, Gainesville, Fla.
James Henry, Ph.D., Portland, Ore.
James A. Kaltenbach, Ph.D., Cleveland, Ohio
Paul R. Kileny, Ph.D., FASHA, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Robert A. Levine, M.D., Boston, Mass.
Craig W. Newman, Ph.D., Cleveland, Ohio
Jay F. Piccirillo, M.D., FACS, St. Louis, Mo.
Michael J. A. Robb, M.D., Phoenix, Ariz.
Jay T. Rubinstein, M.D., Ph.D., Seattle, Wash.
Roger A. Ruth, Ph.D., Charlottesville, Va.
Susan Shore, Ph.D., Ann Arbor, Mich.
Hinrich Staecker, M.D., Ph.D., Kansas City, Kan.
The Publisher reserves the right to reject or edit any manuscript received for publication, and to reject any advertising deemed unsuitable
for Tinnitus Today. Acceptance of advertising by Tinnitus Today does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, its products or services,
nor does Tinnitus Today make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of the advertiser’s offer. The opinions expressed by
contributors to Tinnitus Today are not necessarily those of the Publisher, editors, staff or advertisers.
The American Tinnitus Association exists to cure tinnitus through
the development of resources that advance tinnitus research.
August 2009Vol. 34, Number 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
REGULAR FEATURES
4 Passing the Baton: I’ve Had a Wonderful Year as CEO
Gary P. Reul, Ed.D.
6 Letters to the Editor
24 Questions and Answers
Jack Vernon, Ph.D.
26 Special Donors and Tributes
SPECIAL FEATURES
2 Members Corner
Lisa F. Hutton, ATA Manager of Member Services
5 New Board Transitions at ATA
Katie Fuller, ATA Executive and Development Associate
8 Family Series: Adaptability Helps the Reuls Live with Acoustical Trauma
Nina Rogozen, Editor, Tinnitus Today
10 Hope and Help for Living with Tinnitus: A Seminar Recap
11 Can a Simple Kiss on the Ear Cause Auditory Problems?
Levi A. Reiter, Ph.D.
14 A Walk in the Park and Across America
16 The Incidence of Tinnitus in U.S. Veterans Continues to Escalate
18 Honoring New Friends in our Nation’s Capital
Jennifer DuPriest, ATA Associate Executive Director
FOCUS ON RESEARCH
12 Highlights: Selected 2008-2009 Tinnitus Research Studies
Nina Rogozen, Editor, Tinnitus Today and
Daniel Born, ATA Director of Research and Special Projects
17 ATA Member Participates in Tinnitus Clinical Trial:
A Q&A with Mark Church about rTMS
Daniel Born, ATA Director of Research and Special Projects and
20 Tinnitus and Hyperactivity in Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus Fusiform
Paul G. Finlayson, Ph.D.
21 Clinical Trial of Acamprosate for Tinnitus
William Hal Martin, Ph.D., and Yong-Bing Shi, M.D., Ph.D.

Passing the Baton: I’ve had a Wonderful Year as CEO
Selected Highlights from the 2009 Member Survey
Gary P. Reul, Ed.D., Chair, ATA Board of Directors
I am very pleased to announce
that on July 1, 2009, ATA named
Michael Malusevic as the new
Executive Director and Jennifer
DuPriest as Associate Executive
Director. (This represents a change
in leadership titles.) Michael and
Jennifer have been with ATA for
quite some time and share a strong
commitment to our mission and to
the smooth, effective running of
this wonderful organization. As
chair of the board, I look forward
to continuing to work with Michael,
Jennifer and the entire staff over the
coming years. Go to www.ata.org
to read more about these exciting
changes.
My heartfelt parting words are
simple, but important: Please con-
tinue supporting ATA so our goal
of a cure becomes a reality for all
of us. Simply use the convenient
envelope in the center of Tinnitus
Today or go to www.ata.org and
click on “Donate Now.”
I believe that during my tenure as
CEO, I fulfilled the board’s expec-
tations and I look forward to my
second retirement. This change
will accommodate my health chal-
lenges and eliminate frequent and
extended commuting between
Portland, Ore. and Seattle, Wash.
However, I am not leaving ATA,
only changing positions.
On July 1, 2008, I was poised to
become chair of ATA’s Board of
Directors. As fate, luck or karma
would have it, the board asked me
to become the organization’s Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) on June
28, 2008. They agreed that I had
the right experience, with 20 years
as an administrator and a doctorate
in leadership, to step into the role.
At 71 years of age, I have had a
life full of work experiences; being
ATA’s CEO was the most reward-
ing and satisfying. Of particular joy
was directing such an experienced
and talented staff; interacting with
so many people with tinnitus from
all over the world; and working
with a great board and its very
skilled chair, Scott C. Mitchell, J.D.
I am pleased that my tinnitus and
hyperacusis allowed many members
to feel a kinship with me. I thank
all of those who sent me notes or
e-mails and those with whom I had
interesting telephone conversations
about tinnitus.
Top three things members
want from ATA:
n A cure for tinnitus
n Ways to manage tinnitus
n Advocacy efforts with national
lawmakers and leaders
Greatest sources of tinnitus
information:
n Tinnitus Today
n www.ata.org
Most helpful sections
of Tinnitus Today:
n Research articles
n Treatment articles
n Coping and managing tinnitus
n Q&A
Most common tinnitus effects
on day-to-day life:
n Annoying
n Trouble sleeping
n Trouble concentrating
Tinnitus sounds like:
n Ringing
n Hissing
n Buzzing
n High-tension wire
Responders with hearing loss:
n 73 percent
Gender of survey responders:
n Male – 71 percent
n Female – 29 percent

New Board Transitions at ATA
Katie Fuller, ATA Executive and Development Associate
She says that her favorite part of
being a board member has been
visiting Portland, Ore. (ATA’s head-
quarters) and developing ways to
deal with tinnitus. Maggie plans
on “being involved with ATA as
long as they put up with me.”
A Warm Welcome to ATA’s
New Board Members
Michelle Dapolito, Director of
Marketing at FX Solutions in
Saddle River, N.J.,
joined the board
July 1. Michelle
has over 12 years
experience in
online marketing
and advertising and Web site
design. Before coming on as a
director, Michelle volunteered her
time to help ATA’s Web committee
revamp our site, www.ata.org, and
continues to be instrumental in its
changes and further development.
We are pleased to have Michelle’s
contagious energy and commitment
to the organization on board.
We also welcome Marsha Johnson,
Au.D., FAAA, a practicing audiol-
ogist in Portland who founded the
Oregon Tinnitus
and Hyperacusis
Clinic in 1997.
Marsha brings
to ATA over ten
years of clinical
knowledge and experience in
caring for patients with tinnitus,
hyperacusis and/or hearing loss.
Her sincere desire to help those
who are suffering will prove indis-
pensable to the organization.
A New Chair
July 1, the start of the 2009-2010
fiscal year, brought major changes
to ATA’s Board of
Directors. As he
addresses in his
farewell column
(see “Passing the
Baton,” page 4)
Gary P. Reul, Ed.D.,
has stepped down as ATA’s Chief
Executive Officer and rejoined the
board as chair.
A Huge Thank You
Scott C. Mitchell, J.D., just com-
pleted three dedicated years as
chair of ATA’s
Board of Directors.
“With my term as
board chair coming
to a close,” reflects
Scott, “I must say
that it has been a privilege to work
with the ATA staff. To paraphrase
Winston Churchill, ‘Never have
so many been helped so much by
so few.’ Gary’s move from CEO
to chair of the board assures me
that ATA will continue to focus on
finding a tinnitus cure, and in the
meantime, provide compassion-
ate help to those who are suffer-
ing. With our staff, and Gary still
involved in leadership, we could
not be in better hands.”
ATA thanks Scott for his excellent
years as chair and the extraordi-
nary time and effort he donated
on behalf of ATA and the tinnitus
research community. We are very
pleased that Scott is continuing to
work with ATA as a board director.
A Fond Farewell to Two Long-
Standing Board Members
John R. Bates and Margaret
(Maggie) F. Peak, Ph.D., have
been on the Board of Directors for
a combined total of twelve years.
John leaves after
serving for six
years, two of them
also on the finance
committee. He is
currently presi-
dent and CEO of Flint Resources
Company, LLC, in Tulsa, Okla.,
whose principal subsidiary is com-
mercial construction, building large
projects, such as schools, hospitals
and stadiums throughout the south-
ern, southwestern and western
United States. John says that the
best part of serving on ATA’s board
was having the opportunity to
work with extremely professional
board members, staff and research-
ers. When asked how long he plans
on being involved with ATA, John
says, “We don’t have ‘the cure’
[yet] so the job is not finished.
Therefore, I will stay involved
through ATA’s Advisory Council.”
Margaret (Maggie) F. Peak, Ph.D.,
has been involved with ATA since
1975. She is a
champion of
tinnitus suffer-
ers, particularly
veterans, and has
helped guide the
organization’s focus toward fund-
ing research and developing the
Roadmap to a Cure. Maggie is the
Assistant Chief of Audiology and
Speech Pathology at VA Gulf Coast
Veterans Health Care System in
Biloxi, Miss., where she splits her
time between seeing patients and
managing the department’s admin-
istrative operations.

Letters to the Editor
Alternative Tinnitus Treatments
I am a 52-year-old man who has been living with
severe tinnitus for over 25 years. Exposure to loud
music, when I was a rock guitarist in my 20s, caused
my tinnitus. I also have genetic hearing loss (my
father and grandfather were hard of hearing in their
later years). For the last year, I have been wearing
hearing aids.
I originally went to a doctor in California who told
me that there was nothing that could be done. The
with my tinnitus. Meditation and personal growth
work did the most good.
Recently, I went to a doctor who works with
Quantum Health, a diagnostic computer system
designed to identify energy imbalances, food sensi-
tivities/allergies and other risk factors. He gave me
a long list of foods to avoid and a plethora of herbs,
vitamins and minerals, which I adhered to for six
weeks. I could only eat turkey, green vegetables and
a few fruits. I had to avoid everything else, including
various spices, oils, caffeine, dairy, alcohol and sugar.
After the six weeks, I felt physically better than I
have ever felt – I had tons of energy and felt mentally
clear and very strong. At the same time I was doing
this Quantum Health diet, I went to see a highly
recommended Chinese acupuncturist and spiritual
healer. Within a few weeks – and I don’t know how
or why – I no longer needed my hearing aids. I still
experience ringing in my ears, which has not signifi-
cantly improved, but my hearing definitely has.
I would like to see professionals give these alterna-
tive approaches a chance and even research their
effectiveness in treating tinnitus.
Lon Cohen
Marina del Rey, Calif.
One Woman’s Positive Experience
with Psychotherapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
(EMDR) is a powerful method of psychotherapy.
Practitioners use it for a wide variety of problems. I
have been seeing a psychotherapist in Chicago who
is on the forefront of using EMDR for tinnitus.
I have had tinnitus for twenty years. Initially the
sound was similar to a smoke alarm going off; then
it seemed like a million cicadas; and now it is akin
to a teakettle. Like others, my original ear, nose and
throat doctor (ENT) told me to either “deal with it
or go crazy.” I dealt with it and by the fall of 2008, I
noticed an alarming increase in my ringing. I actually
In each issue, we include letters from our members about their experi-
ences with tinnitus and with non-traditional treatments. We do so in
the hope that the information offered might help our readers. Please
read these anecdotal reports carefully.When we include letters about
treatments, consult with your physician or health care advisor and
decide for yourself if a given treatment might be right for you.As
always, the opinions expressed are strictly those of the letter writers
and do not reflect an opinion of or endorsement by ATA.
Send your letters to Nina Rogozen, Editor at nina@ata.org or to
Editor, Tinnitus Today, ATA, P.O. Box 5, Portland, OR 97207.
best I could hope for was to protect what hearing I
had left. More recently I was shocked and dismayed
to find, that after 25 years, no one I spoke with had
any information whatsoever with regard to alterna-
tive healing methods. They knew nothing about
diet, acupuncture, cranial sacral work, meditation,
chakra clearing, visualization, psychotherapy, holis-
tic healing or any other alternative treatments. I had
tried all of these methods to some degree with vary-
ing levels of success, at least with regard to coping

7August 2009 | Tinnitus TodayATA does not endorse or recommend any tinnitus products or treatments.
Advertisement
ended up in the emergency
room due to Lyrica®, the
medication erroneously
prescribed for a separate,
misdiagnosed condition,
which made my tinnitus
uncontrollable.
That same fall, my new
ENT referred me for EMDR
treatments. My initial ses-
sions began with an imag-
ined environment – a calm
location where I could start
to mentally decrease my
tinnitus sounds. Sessions
after that included color
association, breathing
techniques, visualization/
meditation and eye movement exercises resulting in
decreased anxiety. I also learned to take the power
away from my tinnitus; to stimulate the right and left
sides of my brain; and many other tools to decrease
both the sound and stress of my tinnitus. EMDR has
made a significant difference in my lifestyle and
coping mechanisms. I am able to use the many tools I
learned from my sessions.
I have noticed a differ-
ence in my condition
since beginning EMDR
treatment. I can manage
it better and although I
still notice some sound
fluctuations, my anxiety
has decreased. I’m glad
to be sharing this infor-
mation with others who
suffer with tinnitus.
Donna Marsh
Orland Park, Ill.
Editor’s note: EMDR is a form of psychotherapy
developed to help resolve symptoms resulting
from disturbing and unresolved life experiences.
It includes a comprehensive and integrative
psychotherapy approach. Read more at
www.emdr.com/briefdes.htm.

Gary and Barbara Reul enjoy traveling. They’ve
been to 52 countries, most recently to China and
Sweden. Like most of us, they bring home remind-
ers of their adventures. But one day in 1993, they
brought back something from Florida that neither
of them expected – Gary’s debilitating tinnitus and
hyperacusis (a decreased tolerance to some normal
sounds that makes them seem unbearably loud).
Barbara, a travel agent, heard about a great-sound-
ing Florida Everglades experience – an airboat ride
to a quiet spot with beautiful birds and animals. The
travel brochure did not mention the boat’s extremely
loud engine and horn or the risk of tinnitus and
hyperacusis, which struck Gary on the spot. That
night, without the acoustical distractions on the
street, the quiet of their hotel punctuated Gary’s
agony. “I felt like a caged animal; I was climbing the
walls,” he remembers. “I paced and held my head
while a high-pitched noise filled my ears.”
Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Changed
Their Lives
Many of Gary’s friends did not understand the prob-
lem, which left him feeling very alone with his new
disability. At work he endured large, intolerably
noisy meetings by sitting in the hallway. “I had to
constantly explain to people why I was there,” says
Gary. “However, this was a learning experience for
others and it drew out many who had tinnitus.”
“At first Gary’s problems were very stressful,”
remembers Barbara. “I felt frustrated and often on
the verge of tears. I blamed myself for arranging the
airboat ride and felt guilty for not experiencing these
problems myself. This was the roller coaster ride of
our lives, which seemed like a blur of depression.”
That fateful trip robbed the Reuls of some activities
they had always enjoyed together. At first, Barbara
would not leave Gary at home and venture out to
plays, movies or other places his ears could not tol-
erate. No more Super Bowl parties, church, baseball
games, weddings, funerals or movies. “We can’t talk
in the car because I have to wear earmuffs if we go
over twenty miles an hour,” laments Gary. “This
struggle is also very painful because Gary looks the
A Series on Families
Living With Tinnitus
We often have little influence on a loved
one’s chronic condition. However, we can
learn about the issues, remain supportive
and take care of our own well-being. For
some, working to enhance treatments, find
cures and raise awareness are ways to cope
and create hope. This is certainly true in
the tinnitus community.
This is the third story in our series on
families made up of members with and
without tinnitus. The series explores their
experiences, the feelings that penetrate
their lives and the frustrations they face.
It also illuminates some of the solutions
that diminish their stress and allow
families to settle into a “new normal.”
Adaptability Helps
the Reuls Live with
Acoustical Trauma
By Nina Rogozen, Editor, Tinnitus Today

same, so some friends still don’t really understand,”
says Barbara.
Gary Turned to the American Tinnitus
Association
Part of the Reuls’ frustration has been the lack of
treatment options. Doctor after doctor told Gary to
“live with it.” He took an antidepressant, which
helped for a while. He tried herbal medications,
including Ginkgo biloba for two years, which did
not give him any relief. Counseling helped some
and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) helped his
hyperacusis, but not his tinnitus.
Desperate for guidance, Gary contacted the
American Tinnitus Association for emotional support
and informed resources. He eagerly absorbed infor-
mation in brochures and archived articles and on
CDs. He shared these resources with his family, who
were anxious to understand. His involvement with ATA
grew as Gary served as chair of ATA’s program commit-
tee, vice chair of the Board of Directors, ATA’s CEO for
the 2008-2009 fiscal year and now chair of the board.
Developing a New Normal
“We have adapted to a new normal, a way of living
altered from our pre-tinnitus years, yet one that gives
us as much satisfaction as possible,” says Barbara. “We
aim for an acceptable balance between what I do and
what he can’t do.” Gary has encouraged Barbara’s
“emancipation” from her hesitancy to enjoy activities
without him. Gary is not without the stress of tinnitus
and hyperacusis, but his and Barbara’s adaptability
and their dedication to each other’s happiness is the
engine that created their new normal. What seemed to
help the Reuls the most was time to adjust to lifestyle
changes. Gary uses earplugs and earmuffs to keep out
loud sounds he cannot tolerate. Lecturing about tinnitus
and hyperacusis at their retirement community helps
him as well.
The Gift of Experience
The Reuls have some good ideas that may help those
of you with tinnitus in your family. If you are living
with hyperacusis and crave silence, as most of us do,
remember that being in the midst of some noise may
actually help you become
less sensitive to sound. Try
going to hotel restaurants,
which tend to be quieter,
as are many eating estab-
lishments between 2 p.m.
– 5 p.m. And call ahead to
inquire about quiet seat-
ing. If you are anxious and/
or depressed, discuss the
possible use of medication
with your health care pro-
fessional. Always keep ear-
plugs or earmuffs nearby. Use them when necessary,
for instance, like Gary does around his playful grand-
daughter. Ask your dentist to drill for 10 seconds, stop
for 10 seconds, etc. to reduce noise trauma. “Use ATA
materials to educate others about what you are hearing
and experiencing,” concludes Gary. Barbara adds, ”Be
as calm and understanding as possible.”
Committed to Each Other and All of Us
Gary and Barbara believe in ATA’s mission and under-
stand personally how important everyone’s support is
to bolstering tinnitus and hyperacusis research that will
lead us to a cure. They encourage all families and indi-
viduals to contribute to this very important cause.
“Wehaveadaptedtoanewnormal,
awayoflivingalteredfromour
pre-tinnitusyears,yetonethatgives
usasmuchsatisfactionaspossible.”
~ Barbara Reul
To contribute to ATA’s mission
of silencing tinnitus, simply use
the envelope in the center of
Tinnitus Today. Remember, what
may seem like a small contri-
bution makes a big difference
toward curing tinnitus.
Gary and Barbara Reul at The Bund (Waitan), one
of the most recognizable architectural symbols of
Shanghai, China, located at the west bank of a
bend in the Huangpu River.

The Los Angeles Tinnitus Support Group cel-
ebrated its 25th anniversary in a way consistent
with its ongoing focus – providing help and
hope to tinnitus sufferers. On May 16, 2009, led
by support group leader Nelly Nigro, the group
commemorated its 25 years of service by deliver-
ing “Hope and Help for Living with Tinnitus,”
a public seminar held at the VA Greater Los
Angeles Healthcare System. The daylong seminar,
sponsored by the American Tinnitus Association
and supported by House Ear Institute and
Advanced Bionics, featured an impressive list of
tinnitus experts. They covered a variety of sub-
jects, including current tinnitus research, existing
therapies, development of novel technologies,
tinnitus in the military, ATA-supported research
and the Roadmap to a Cure. Also discussed were
drug therapies, drug development and practical
strategies to effectively manage one’s tinnitus.
Additionally, the event recognized Nelly Nigro for
her many years of service to ATA and the support
group, and Mr. D.G. Gumpertz for his financial
contribution to the seminar and his ongoing com-
mitment to and support of ATA’s mission.
Our deepest thanks to Nelly Nigro
and D.G. Gumpertz for their leader-
ship and support. And a heartfelt
thank you to our speakers:
Jim Boswell, Ph.D.,
CEO, House Ear Institute
Jeff A. Carroll, Ph.D.,
Director, Tinnitus and Hypercusis
Treatment Center, University of
California, Irvine
Dhyan Cassie, Au.D., FAAA,
Ear, Nose and Throat
Professional Associates
Hamid R. Djalilian, M.D.,
Associate Professor of Clinical
Otolaryngology and Director of the
Division of Neurotology and Skull
Base, University of California,
Irvine Medical Center
Jennifer DuPriest,
Associate Executive Director, ATA
John W. House, M.D.,
President, House Ear Institute
Thomas J. Lobl, Ph.D.,
VP of Research &
Development, NeuroSystec
Corporation and member,
ATA Board of Directors
David I. Meyer, Ph.D.,
Executive VP of Research,
House Ear Institute
Scott C. Mitchell, J.D.,
recent past chair,
ATA Board of Directors
Eric Viirre, M.D., Ph.D.,
Associate Adjunct Professor of
Surgery, Division of Otoloaryngology,
University of California, San Diego
“Hope and Help for Living with Tinnitus”: A Seminar Recap
Left: Scott C. Mitchell, J.D., recent past chair, ATA Board of Directors and Nelly Nigro, chair, seminar planning
committee and Los Angeles Tinnitus Support Group leader. Center: John W. House, M.D., House Ear Institute.
Right: Jennifer DuPriest, Associate Executive Director, ATA, and Marcia Harris, first Los Angeles Tinnitus
Support Group leader.
Dan Burbach is a welcome addi-
tion to the ATA staff. He became
our fulfillment coordinator in the
winter of 2009, soon after we
moved to our new offices. Dan is
in charge of ATA mailings, product
sales shipments and data entry. He
has a drive to make ATA’s distribution function even
more fluid and continually flexible.
Dan graduated from the University of Oregon in 2005
with a double major in political science and art. His
experiences in college led him toward a path in the
nonprofit world and motivated him to give back to
the community. He spent a year and a half working
for Habitat for Humanity through AmeriCorps in
New Orleans, La. and Biloxi, Miss. When not working,
Dan is out exploring his neighborhood, traveling,
reading and enjoying time with friends and family.
Welcome to Dan Burbach, ATA’s Fulfillment Coordinator

Although ear kissing has
undoubtedly been around
as long as humans, the sur-
prisingly pathologic result
of this simple gesture first
appeared in print as recently
as August 2008.3
The initial case involved
a four-year-old child who
hugged her mom and gave
her a loving smooch on her left ear canal. Mom’s
immediate experience was severe, deep ear pain;
loud, screeching tinnitus; total hearing loss; and
facial twitching in the region of the ear – all on the
left side. Within the next several hours, her total
hearing loss recovered to a stable 35 dB SNHL in
the middle hearing frequencies. The loss remains at
that level two and a half years later. The patient con-
tinued to suffer from tinnitus and facial spasms for
about one year. During that time she also developed
hyperacusis and distortion in the clarity of her hear-
ing in the left ear. Today, the SNHL, hyperacusis and
distortion remain. The tinnitus is now noticeable pri-
marily in quiet surroundings, and the facial spasms
occur only after experiencing excessively loud noise
at a wedding, live concert or other noisy venue.
This first case study
received a good deal of
media coverage, and as
a result, dozens of people
came forth with their very
similar stories. One indi-
vidual was given a happy
Mother’s Day “peck”
on the ear by her loving
husband, only to suffer
immediate hearing loss,
tinnitus and hyperacusis.
In another case, a parent
received a traditional, but
misdirected, farewell kiss
on the cheek by her son-
in-law, which inadvertent-
ly landed on her ear. The
Can a Simple Kiss on the Ear
Cause Auditory Problems?
result was SNHL, tinnitus and hyperacusis.
To date, I have examined over one dozen cases rang-
ing from 10 to 81 years of age. All show the same
three symptoms: SNHL, tinnitus and hyperacusis.
There are three intriguing questions that I would
like to address:
1. If this phenomenon is so old and so common, why
has it taken so long to be discovered and published?
2. What is it about a kiss to the ear that causes such
devastating consequences?
3. What can be done to treat or prevent this problem?
The answer to the first question is professional
denial. Each patient who contacted me to have an
ear-kiss injury evaluated, confided that a physician
had previously denied their claim that a kiss caused
their hearing problem. When several patients came
across my “kiss” research, they felt validated – no,
they were not imagining things. Their doctors’ pre-
conceived notions about the harmlessness of a kiss
had prevented further investigation into the matter
via scientific or medical research.
The second question regards the cause of this ear
pathology, which has
been termed “REKS”
for Reiter’s Ear-Kiss
Syndrome.4
Research
indicates that a kiss to
the ear canal creates
suction, which pulls the
eardrum and ossicular
chain (small inner-ear
bones that transmit
sound) forward. This
in turn pulls the stapes
(one of the ossicular
chain) away from the
inner ear, causing a
tsunami-like turbulence
in the inner ear fluids.
This damages the
Levi A. Reiter, Ph.D., Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
The answer to the question posed by this title is an unfortunate “yes!” Tinnitus, hyperacusis and
permanent sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) can result from a single, affectionate kiss to the ear.1,2
Levi A. Reiter, Ph.D.
continued on page 25

Tinnitus Research: Tales From a
Grand Meeting at Grand Island, N.Y.1
United States, December 2008
Anthony T. Cacace, Ph.D., is the recent past editor of
the American Journal of Audiology and chair of ATA’s
Scientific Advisory Committee. In his words, “Scientific
conferences play an important role in updating
knowledge and improving our conceptualizations of
selected topics of interest. They are a healthy way
for promoting discussion/debate and providing seg-
ues for the advancement of science.” In June 2007
the conference, “Advances in Tinnitus Assessment,
Treatment and Neuroscience Basis,” was a huge
success. Scientists from Belgium, Canada, China,
Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, South America and
the United States attended and participated in the
exchange of knowledge, research programs and
enthusiasm.
Six prominent researchers, representing their indi-
vidual research teams, presented papers published in
the December 2008 issue of the American Journal of
Audiology. Topics included: (1) The dorsal cochlear
nucleus (DCN) may play a pivotal role in tinnitus
development; (2) Anatomical and neurobiological evi-
dence of auditory/somatosensory system interactions;
(3) Synaptic plasticity at the level of the DCN can serve
as a mechanism for tinnitus generation and tinnitus
may be a multisensory phenomenon; (4) Using a gap
detection startle-reflex procedure in rats to demonstrate
behavioral evidence of tinnitus and perhaps hyperacu-
sis; (5) The cortical representation of tinnitus is mani-
fested by increased synchrony between sets of neurons;
and (6) Identifying subgroups of tinnitus patients as a
way to improve treatment outcomes. Cacace sums up
the value of such a conference: “… The convergence
of the basic sciences and the clinical domain … can
contribute to advancing this area.”
Highlights: Selected 2008-2009
Tinnitus Research Studies
Nina Rogozen, Editor, Tinnitus Today and Daniel Born, ATA Director of Research and Special Projects
Identifying Tinnitus Subgroups to
Maximize Treatment2
United States, December 2008
Richard Tyler, Ph.D., and his research team began
with the premise that it is “important to uncover
tinnitus subgroups to identify subsets of patients
most likely to benefit from different treatments.”
By reviewing strategies for subgrouping based on
etiology, subjective reports, the audiogram, psychoa-
coustics, imaging and cluster analysis, they obtained
preliminary results. The team’s analysis of 246
participants helped them determine 26 categorical
and 25 continuous variables. Results suggested
four major patient subgroups – those who have
(1) constant, distressing tinnitus; (2) varying
tinnitus that is worse in noisy environments;
(3) learned to manage their condition
and whose tinnitus is not influ-
enced by touch (somatic modula-
tion); and (4) tinnitus that is worse
in quiet environments. The team
concluded that it is possible to
identify subgroups of tinnitus
patients using statistical approaches.
Potential follow up would explore
clinical tinnitus treatment trials based
on utilizing subgroup analysis.
Comparing Different Frequencies of Daily
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
for Treating Tinnitus 3
Egypt, February 2008
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
(see page 17) uses different frequencies – 1 Hz,
10 Hz, 25 Hz and sham (occipital, 1 Hz) – to treat
tinnitus. To better understand the effects of these
Once again we bring you our yearly sampling of tinnitus research being conducted in the United States
and abroad. Each study gives us hope that we are moving closer and closer to the foundations of better
treatments, and ultimately a cure. This year, we include a glossary of words and phrases to make it
easier to understand some of the more technical references in this review (see page 23). You will find
these items italicized in the body of the text below.

various frequencies, Eman M. Khedr, M.D., and his
research team randomly divided 66 patients, all
with chronic tinnitus, into four treatment groups.
All patients received daily rTMS treatment over
their left temporoparietal cortex, a region of the
brain known to be involved in speech perception,
for two weeks. The team assessed them using
the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, self-ratings of
symptoms and audiometric measures of residual
inhibition. The researchers found, before and after
treatment during the next four months, no signifi-
cant differences in basal measures or responses
to different frequencies of rTMS among the four
groups. Responses depended on tinnitus duration:
those participants who had tinnitus for the longest
period of time responded least to treatment. The
investigators concluded that daily sessions of rTMS
over the temporoparietal cortex may be a potentially
useful tinnitus treatment.
Heidelberg Model of Evidence-Based
Music Therapy4
Germany, July 2008
More than a half-million patients in Germany who
need tinnitus treatment suffer from tonal tinnitus
(tinnitus with a well-defined frequency). Heike
Argstatter, Ph.D., and her research team held the
opinion that though tinnitus is one of the most
common symptoms in ear, nose and throat (ENT)
medicine, its treatments are polypragmatic and
often lack scientific foundation. They developed
a novel music therapy and substantiated it with
psychological, audiological and functional imaging
procedures. They believe the advantages of this
therapy are the integration of known and well
proven acoustic and psychotherapeutic techniques
converted to resonance training, neuroauditive
cortex reprogramming and tinnitus desensitization.
The team found the music therapy an effective
treatment for 190 patients with chronic tonal tinnitus
and highly advantageous to treatment duration,
effectiveness and follow-up stability compared with
customary interventions. Brain imaging strongly
suggests the usefulness of further investigation and
discussion of neuronal tinnitus modeling.
Acute High-Intensity Sound Exposure Alters
Responses of Place Cells in Hippocampus5
United States, March 2009
Overstimulation is known to activate neural plastic-
ity (the brain’s ability to adapt to new conditions)
in the auditory nervous system causing changes
in function and re-organization in brain systems.
Previous research demonstrated that overstimula-
tion, using high-intensity noise or tones, can induce
signs of tinnitus. Here, Timothy J. Goble, Ph.D.,
and his team utilized rat studies to show that over-
stimulation causes changes in the way a subset
of hippocampal pyramidal neurons (place cells)
respond as rats search for rewards in a spatial maze.
In familiar environments, place cells respond when
the animal moves through specific locations but are
relatively silent in others. This location-specific fir-
ing is stable in a fixed environment.
The team assessed rats with four implanted micro-
electrodes for stable single-unit place-field responses.
They compared rats exposed for 30 minutes to a
4 kHz tone at 104 dB sound pressure level (SPL) to
a control period in the same sound chamber. Their
work demonstrated that activation of neural

A Walk in the Park and Across America
The First Annual American Tinnitus Association Walk For A Cure
14 Tinnitus Today | April 2009
Setting Up
Saturday, May 16, 2009, Irvine Regional Park, Orange County,
Calif. The perfect day and location for the first annual ATA Walk
For A Cure. At 6:30 a.m., on this beautiful spring morning, volun-
teer event chair Mari Quigley-Miller and several of her Walk com-
mittee members transported tables, chairs and water to the park.
Other event volunteers put up directional signs throughout the
park, clearly marking the way to the designated Walk area. Spirits
were high as more volunteers arrived to set up the registration
area, hang banners and stock the water stations.
Excitement continued to build as event walkers began arriving
around 8 a.m. – many accompanied by their children and ener-
getic dogs on leashes – with great enthusiasm for this unified
effort to support ATA and the fight to cure tinnitus.
Warming up
At 9:00 a.m., Lindy Michaelis, daughter of entertainer Pat Boone,
led the group in stretching exercises. With show business in her
blood, she turned what some consider the mundane part of exer-
cising into something lively and fun.
After the warm-up, Terri Baltus, past ATA chief development offi-
cer, delivered a message on behalf of ATA to an attentive crowd of
around 150 walkers. She thanked everyone for their support and
emphasized that as a group we can accomplish what no one per-
son can do alone. She defined the Walk as the center of a cross-
country, virtual movement that is reaching out into communities
across America.
Terri then introduced ATA-funded research scientist, Fan-Gang
Zen, Ph.D., who was at the Walk with his young daughter, her
friend and a few graduate students from his program at the
University of California, Irvine (UCI). Zeng’s presence was a
“The walk was wonderful.
It was the first walk I’ve
ever been on and it felt so
good to be in allegiance
with everyone there.”
~ Normajean Brady
Walk participant & ATA Member

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Walk For A Cure.
Thanks to Walk donations by hundreds of supporters, ATA raised $58,379 through the combined
efforts of the walkers in Orange County, the virtual walkers and a direct mailing to our membership.
powerful example of how the money ATA receives from
its members and supporters is helping to fund excellent
research.
Mari then sang a lovely rendition of our National Anthem,
a fitting introduction to a local treasure, Sammy Lee, M.D.
Accomplishing an important dream, Lee received back-to-
back gold medals in diving in the 1948 Olympics in London,
followed by his 1952 triumph at the Helsinki games. He
went on to become a respected ear, nose and throat
(ENT) physician in Orange County. Lee, now retired,
truly understands the problem of tinnitus and supports
ATA’s mission.
A Walk in the Park
Mari, accompanied by her dogs, Sonny and Cher, led
off the mile and a half walk through Irvine Regional Park.
Event organizer Mari Quigley-Miller (second from right) and several
Walk committee members.
Complimentary Walks
At the same time the Orange County
participants were walking in the
park, Donna Brown’s team, “Donna’s
Daytrekkers,” held their own mini-
walk in Denver, Colo. at Van Bibber
Park. Nine team members, including
local tinnitus support group leader Rich Marr, joined
Donna, who climbed Mt. Rainier in support of ATA in
July 2007.
We’d like to hear about anyone else who may have con-
ducted their own mini-walk in support of ATA. Please
send details to Nina Rogozen, Editor, Tinnitus Today,
at nina@ata.org.
Stay tuned this coming winter for details on ATA’s
Second Annual Walk For A Cure, taking place in
Portland, Ore. in the spring of 2010.

The group of spirited, eager walkers ambled along a
peaceful creek, through lush foliage and then circled
back to where the event began. Volunteers handed out
goody bags containing several small, locally donated
items, such as power bars, earplugs and refrigerator
magnets.
After the Walk, people hung
around to enjoy a sense
of camaraderie and the
satisfaction of a mission
fulfilled. Groups clustered
to share conversations with
each other, Zeng, Lee, Mari
and the Walk committee.
One could hear enthusias-
tic Chinese, Spanish and
English voices, a reflection
of the diverse makeup of
the Walk committee and the
walkers they recruited. In addition to conventional local
outlets, tinnitus stories in one Spanish and two Chinese
language newspapers also covered the Walk.
A Walk in the Park and Across America
Many Virtual Walkers Participated
In conjunction with the Orange County Walk, hundreds of
supporters from across America – and a few beyond our
borders – participated in spirit, signing up at the ATA Web
site as fundraising team members and Walk supporters.
We displayed the names of the hundreds of virtual walkers
at the Walk site itself; you can view them by going to
www.ata.org/walk-for-a-cure-list.
continued from page 15
Words About the Walk
Two young men, Jeff Dennison
and Michael Conti, who both
suffer with tinnitus, ran the
entire Walk course. Their
rationale for running at a
walk? “We’re running so we
can get to a cure faster!”
Supporters from Cal National Bank
For the second consecutive year, tinnitus is ranked
as the number-one service-connected disability for
U.S. military personnel returning from the conflicts
in Iraq and Afghanistan. The chart on the left shows the most
common disabilities for returning personnel as of October 2007.
The Incidence of Tinnitus in U.S. Veterans Continues to Escalate
Most common service-connected disabilities for
Iraq & Afghanistan veterans as of October 2007
Iraq & Afghanistan veterans service-connected disability
rates for tinnitus and hearing loss as of October 2008
27%
24%
2007 2008
100,000
90,000
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
Information courtesy of VA Office of Public Affairs.
22%
14%
13%
Tinnitus – 27%
Lumbosacral or
Cervical Strain – 24%
Defective Hearing – 22%
Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) – 14%
Limitation in
Flexion of Leg – 13%
TINNITUS
HEARING
LOSS
TINNITUS
HEARING
LOSS
The chart on the right illustrates the sharp increase in service-connected
disability payments to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans for tinnitus from 2007-
2008. The incidence of tinnitus increased more dramatically than did hearing
loss. This is an indicator that other medical conditions, like the demonstrated
link between tinnitus and traumatic brain injury, may be contributing to the
pointed increases in tinnitus among veterans.

Q: How did you decide to participate
in the study?
A: I found out through ATA that Dr. Piccirillo was conducting
a new rTMS trial at Washington University in St. Louis.
Because of the promising research reports I have read
about the treatment, I decided that I would explore whether
or not I was a viable candidate. I had an initial consultation
[pre-screening] in September 2008 where the study team
also explained the possible side effects. They told me I was
a good candidate for the study.
ATA Member Participates in Tinnitus Clinical Trial:
A Q&A with Mark W. Church About rTMS
An interview conducted by Daniel Born, ATA Director of Research & Special Projects and
Background
Interviewee: March W. Church from
St. Louis, Mo., is a six-year ATA member
and CEO of Application Engineering
Group (AEG), an ATA corporate member.
Mark is 48 years old and has had tinnitus
for 10 years. He describes his bilateral
tinnitus (in both ears) as “wildly fluctuat-
ing tinnitus.”
Topic of study: A two-year, double-blind
study of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS),
including 60 participants, led by Jay F. Piccirillo, M.D., F.A.C.S.,
at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
Goal of study: To determine if applying rTMS to the hearing area
of the brain can lessen the perception of tinnitus. rTMS involves
placing a strong magnet against a person’s scalp to generate a
small electrical field within the brain. Depending on stimulation
frequency, this electrical field can either decrease or increase
the electrical excitability of the brain. This study uses low-
frequency stimulation since it is thought to decrease nerve
activity. It is this electrical excitability of the brain that is
thought to cause tinnitus.1
Hypothesis of study: rTMS can decrease the perception of
tinnitus. Participants will initially receive either active rTMS
or placebo rTMS for two weeks, then rest for two weeks. Next,
they will receive the treatment they did not receive in the first
two weeks. Treatments will be randomly administered and
participants will not be told which they are receiving. Each
will undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positive
emission tomography (PET) scanning of the brain at the
beginning of the study and after each treatment.2
Q: Did you undergo any testing before you
started treatment?
A: After the initial screening, the study team administered the
Tinnitus Severity Index to determine my specific tinnitus level.
My particular type of tinnitus is pretty bad; it occurs in both
ears and fluctuates wildly. The next day they performed an
MRI and PET scan and mapped my brain activity.
Q:
What was rTMS treatment like?
A: The rTMS device was placed above my left ear and pulsed at
half-second intervals for 20 minutes. There were 10 consecu-
tive treatments, Monday through Friday, with a two-day week-
end break. A two-week rest period took place and then rTMS
was resumed for 10 additional treatments. Memory tests were
administered after every treatment to make sure I was not
having adverse side effects. It was a double-blind study but I
could definitely tell the difference between real treatment and
a placebo treatment. With the real treatment, the left side of
my body jumped like during a knee reflex test.
What is rTMS?
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a pro-
cedure that uses a pulsed magnetic field to influence electrical
activity in the brain. The effects of magnetic fields on humans
were considered as early as the 18th century by Franz Anton
Mesmer, a German physician and astrologist. However, it was
not until the end of the 19th century that scientists started
using magnetic energy to alter brain activity.3
Interview with Mark Church

Over the past two years, ATA has enjoyed
some major advocacy accomplishments. The
Department of Defense (DoD) now supports
tinnitus research through its Peer Reviewed
Medical Research Program (PRMRP) for the
first time since the program’s inception.There
is now successful inclusion of directive com-
mittee report language that has accompanied
the Labor Health and Human Services bill for
the past three years. This language encourages
the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the
DoD and the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) to come together to collaboratively
address tinnitus from a multi-disciplinary
approach. The result is a tinnitus-specific
workshop hosted by the National Institute on
Deafness and other Communication Disorders
(NIDCD) regarding “Brain Stimulation for the
Treatment of Tinnitus,” being held Aug. 13-14,
2009 on the NIH Campus. And lastly, the
establishment of a DoD Center of Excellence on
auditory systems injury for our military and
veterans, who experience tinnitus dispropor-
tionate in numbers, and often in severity, to
the rest of the population.
We are Grateful for Congressional Support
ATA and the rest of the tinnitus community owe a
debt of gratitude to the elected officials who helped
make these initiatives become reality. Because of
their work, ATA chose to honor two outstanding
Senators whose leadership and support of ATA’s
mission to cure tinnitus made these accomplish-
ments possible.
Q: What sorts of safety precautions
were in place?
A: The team did a hearing test [audiogram] at three different intervals
to ensure no damage to my hearing center was taking place. There
were constant questionnaires and memory tests, plus three psycho-
logical exams to test for possible cognitive changes.
Q: Did you have any concerns about
the process?
A: The MRI machine was very loud and physically uncomfortable. It is
difficult to lie still for such a long period of time. I had to mentally
psyche myself into getting through it as I am somewhat claustro-
phobic. It was also time consuming; I spent two hours each day
having rTMS treatment. Then I had six hours of PET and MRI scans
and other tests.
Q:
Did you experience any side effects?
A: Besides my left side jumping uncontrollably during the treatment,
no. I was told that some people experience headaches, but I felt fine.
Q:
Did the treatment work?
A: rTMS was not effective for me - but I want to do my part and help
get us closer to a tinnitus cure.
Q: Would you participate in another
tinnitus treatment study?
A: Dr. Piccirillo is a class act, and his team was very professional. I
am open to taking part in other aspects of his tinnitus treatment
research. In fact, he has a second part of the rTMS study that I will
be participating in and will let you know how it goes.
A Q&A with Mark W. Church About rTMS
1
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00567892?term=tinnitus&rank=19.
2
Ibid.
3
http://www.bnl.gov/medical/tms/history.asp.
It was a double-blind study but I could definitely tell
the difference between the real treatment and a pla-
cebo treatment. With the real treatment, the left side
of my body jumped like during a knee reflex test.
rTMS was not effective for me – but I want to do
my part and help get us closer to a cure.
~ Mark Church
Honoring New
Friends in Our
Nation’s Capital
By Jennifer DuPriest,
ATA Associate Executive Director

On May 12-13, 2009, Scott C. Mitchell, J.D., recent past
chair, ATA Board of Directors, board members John
Bates and Michael O’Rourke, ATA government relations
counsel Deborah Outlaw and I visited the offices of
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Senator Harry Reid
(D-NV) to thank them personally for their support
and to honor them for their essential actions toward
curing tinnitus.
Senator Cornyn has always been deeply committed to
serving America’s veterans. Because of ATA’s education
of the Senator and his staff about the growing incidence
Conversations with a Senator: Scott C. Mitchell,
J.D., John R. Bates, Jennifer DuPriest and Senator
John Cornyn (R-TX) in his Washington, D.C. office.
A T A A D V O C A C Y I N A C T I O N
of tinnitus in active duty military and veterans, he
supported the creation of the DoD Center of Excellence
on auditory systems injury, included in the final 2009
DoD Authorization Bill. This center will not only pro-
vide critical care to members of the military who suffer
with tinnitus, but will provide educational materials
and conduct ongoing research on its patient popula-
tion. These efforts will help continue to inform the
tinnitus research community about a certain kind
of tinnitus and help us all get closer to our collective
goal of silence.
Senator Reid is also deeply committed to serving
America’s veterans and understands the importance
of funding biomedical research for all who suffer from
this condition. Again, ATA’s education of congressional
members about this often overlooked condition resulted
in Senator Reid’s gracious support of the inclusion of
tinnitus as a researchable condition in the PRMRP.
We look forward to continued work with both Senators
Reid and Cornyn and all the other members of Congress
who are helping ATA pave the way to a cure!

In this ATA-funded study,
we examined the properties
of DCN neurons seven days
after intense sound exposure
and compared them to normal
neurons. Families of special-
ized proteins called “ion chan-
nels” are located in neuronal
membranes and selectively
allow ions (charged atoms,
such as sodium, potassium
and chloride) to move in or
out of the cell. This movement
depends on the voltage across
the neuron’s membrane and
the difference in the concen-
tration of ions between inside
and outside the cell. Opening
ion channels changes the voltage across the cells’
membranes. Opening and closing of specific types
of ion channels produces action potentials (Fig. 1),
which are the means by which neurons send infor-
mation to other neurons. Other ion channels control
the pattern or time between action potentials.
We have found a marked change in membrane
properties in DCN neurons following intense sound
exposure. The changes are consistent with an over-
all increase in the opening of ion channels at rest.
In addition, after intense sound
exposure, there is an increase in
DCN neurons firing two action
potentials (couplets) in rapid suc-
cession. We also observed this
firing pattern in our recent study,
using recordings from outside
cells; we directly observed the
underlying membrane potential
changes associated with firing
in couplets.
Future Work
Future characterizations of the
ion channel changes produc-
ing these membrane potential
changes, and the increase in open
channels (measured as increased
conductivity) following intense
sound exposure, may demonstrate
changes that are important in the
generation of tinnitus. Changes
in ion channels have also been
found to be important in the
change in neuronal activity asso-
ciated with phantom pain, a con-
dition similar to tinnitus. Studies
on phantom pain provide impor-
tant examples of changes that
should be examined in tinnitus.
In conclusion, this study provides the groundwork for
identifying and understanding specific ion channels,
which may be altered in tinnitus. This information
could lead to targeted treatments for tinnitus.
Paul G. Finlayson, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of
Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology for the Wayne
State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Mich.
He was recently named interim scientific director of
the Ligon Research Center of Vision at Kresge Eye
Institute, also in Detroit.
Tinnitus and Hyperactivity in Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus Fusiform
Cells: What Biophysical Changes Occur in These Cells
Paul G. Finlayson, Ph.D., Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich.
An effective tinnitus treatment may depend on our understanding of the alterations in the brain and
in the cells/neurons which produce these phantom sound sensations. Animal models have shown that
intense sound exposure increases spontaneous “firing activity” (action potentials) in neurons, such
as in one of the first brain auditory centers, the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN). Action potentials are
the major way neurons communicate information, such as sound, and an increase in their rate could
produce the phantom sounds of tinnitus.
Figure 1. Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus
cells were more likely to produce action
potentials in couplets. This rapid pattern
of activity is more likely to be perceived
as sound by other areas of the brain.
(“milli” = 1/one thousand; 1/1000).
Paul G. Finlayson, Ph.D.

Medical treatments for tinnitus have historically
been difficult to evaluate. This is due to the
extremely complex nature of tinnitus, diversity of
tinnitus causes and lack of understanding about
underlying mechanisms. Limited measurement tools
and the challenges in the lives of those who suffer
from tinnitus contribute to evaluation difficulties.
The American Tinnitus Association is co-funding
a clinical trial of a medication called acamprosate
(brand name, Campral®) at the Oregon Health
& Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Ore.
Acamprosate was developed to help recovering
alcoholics abstain from drinking by modifying the
balance between excitatory (when nerves activate
other nerves) and inhibitory (when nerves prevent
others from activating) chemicals produced by the
brain. It is possible that an imbalance in the hearing
centers of the brain (not related to alcoholism) may
be one cause of tinnitus. A pilot study in Brazil
suggested that acamprosate might be helpful for
some types of tinnitus.1
Bringing Participants on Board
The three-year OHSU study began in January 2008
and has been a massive endeavor. So far we have
processed over 2,000 contacts from tinnitus suffer-
ers interested in being in the study. Of those, 596
individuals went through screening evaluations and
234 have met the very strict inclusion criteria to par-
ticipate in the study. Most of those have enrolled in
Phase I of the trial.
Phases I, II and III
Phase I is an open-label trial (both the researchers
and participants know the identity of the treatment)
during which all participants take acamprosate for
six weeks. Those who respond positively to the
medication may continue into an extended Phase II
of the study. We release from the study those who
did not have a positive response to the acamprosate
in Phase I or asked to be released for other reasons,
such as side effects, logistics or time constraints.
During this second phase, everyone receives acam-
prosate for part of the time and a placebo for part
of the time, without knowing which they are taking
at any given time. This experimental design is very
important because it recognizes that no treatment
should be expected to work for everyone with tinni-
tus. It separates non-responders from potential true
responders early in the study and allows us to focus
resources and research efforts on those most likely
Clinical Trial of Acamprosate for Tinnitus
William Hal Martin, Ph.D., and Yong-Bing Shi, M.D., Ph.D.,
Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University
to benefit from the
treatment.
We are continuing
to enroll participants
in Phase I and hope
to enroll about 300
people in all. We
have begun Phase
II as well. During
Phase III of the
study, we will look
back at those who
did and did not
respond positively
to acamprosate.
(This can include a
decrease in the per-
ceived loudness of
their tinnitus, or an
improvement in their
overall quality of life.) During this review process,
we identify factors (tinnitus pitch, loudness, duration,
other medical issues, etc.) about those groups that will
help us predict who should or should not benefit from
acamprosate treatment. We believe that this will help
us understand the role of the brain in tinnitus and help
us develop more effective treatments in the future.
Recognition for Innovative Design
The tinnitus research community recognizes this
study for its importance on three levels. First, every-
one is interested in knowing if medications like
acamprosate can be helpful to those with tinnitus.
Second, we are all interested in the role of the brain
in tinnitus and this experiment allows us to change
brain chemistry in a very interesting way. Finally, and
perhaps most importantly, this is the first time anyone
has applied this type of strict experimental design to
studying interventions for tinnitus. The design may
prove to be the standard by which the research com-
munity evaluates all future medical therapies.
William Hal Martin, Ph.D., is Professor of
Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery and Professor
of Public Health & Preventive Medicine at the Oregon
Health & Science University in Portland, Ore. He
directs four programs within the Oregon Hearing
Research Center: the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic, Tinnitus
Research Program, Intraoperative Neurophysiological
Monitoring Services and Dangerous Decibels® Noise
Jennifer Petersen, Au.D., OHSU Senior
Tinnitus Specialist, Yong-Bing Shi, M.D.,
Ph.D., and William H. Martin, Ph.D.

plasticity through overstimulation of sound can alter
the response of these hippocampus place cells.
Tinnitus in Young Patients Up to 35 Years Old6
Poland, 2008
Tinnitus can occur even in the young. According to
the work of Danuta Raj-Koziak, M.D., and her team
in Poland, it is becoming more common in young
people. They found that about 25% of patients
registered in their tinnitus clinic are below the
age of 35. Their study evaluated a group of 235
tinnitus patients ranging in age from 18 to 35 years
old. There were no other pre-selection criteria
except age. All participants answered questions
concerning the cause of their tinnitus. Their findings
indicate that the most frequent tinnitus triggers
among patients below 35 years are infections
(68.5%), noise exposure (27.7%) and stress (23.4%).
Tinnitus Treatment: Neurosurgical Management7
France, March 2009
Tinnitus management requires a multidisciplinary
approach in which neuromodulation and neurosur-
gery tend to play major roles. One classification of
tinnitus is objective tinnitus (sounds in the ear that
can be heard by someone besides the person with
tinnitus). One form is pulsatile tinnitus, synchronous
with one’s heartbeat. Radiological testing should
search for a vascular abnormality as well as other
neurological diseases (intracranial hypertension,
Arnold-Chiari malformation, vascular loops, etc.).
Asynchronous objective tinnitus generally corre-
sponds to muscular contractions requiring specific
management.
The other classification
is subjective tinnitus
(perceived only by
the patient), which
is more complex
and strongly
analogous with
post-amputation
pain syndromes.
After peripheral
middle ear or
inner ear damage,
auditory deafferen-
tation (freeing of sen-
sory nerve fibers) could
result in hyperactivity and/
or functional reorganization within central auditory
and nonauditory structures of the brain. According
to Alain Londero, M.D., and his colleagues, this
could explain the persistence of tinnitus after sever-
ing the 8th auditory nerve, and associated symptoms
such as hyperacusis or anxiety and depression. This
model finds strong support in animal experiments
and in functional neuroimagery (PET, fMRI, MEG).
Without etiologically-based therapies available,
severe, subjective tinnitus management only targets
tinnitus tolerance with sound enrichment or cognitive
behavior therapy. Soon, better knowledge of tinnitus
pathophysiology and innovative therapeutic tools
could emerge from neuromodulation techniques,
such as repeated transcranial magnetic or epidural
electric stimulation.
Educational Counseling Used in Progressive
Audiologic Tinnitus Management8
United States, January-March, 2009
Exposure to loud sounds commonly causes or
exacerbates tinnitus. The National Center for
Rehabilitative Auditory Research conducted clinical
research, led by James A. Henry, Ph.D., which
resulted in a clinical model of tinnitus management:
Progressive Audiologic Tinnitus Management
(PATM). It involves five levels of management:
triage, audiologic evaluation, group education,
tinnitus evaluation and individualized management.
A key part of PATM is counseling by audiologists
and, as needed, mental health providers. Rather
than focusing on didactic, informational counseling,
it facilitates patients’ learning to better adjust to the
disturbing auditory realities of tinnitus. It employs
tools from two powerful skills sets advantageous
to the self-management of chronic tinnitus: the
use of therapeutic sound and cognitive-behavioral
psychology techniques.

1
Cacace A. Tinnitus Research: Tales From a Grand Meeting at Grand Island, N.Y, Am J
Audiol. 2008 Dec;17(2):107.
2
Tyler R, Coelho C, Tao P, Ji H, Noble W, Gehringer A, Gogel S. Identifying tinnitus sub-
groups with cluster analysis, Am J Audiol. 2008 Dec;17(2):S176-84.
3
Khedr EM, Rothwell JC, Ahmed MA, El-Atar A. Effect of daily repetitive transcranial
magnetic stimulation for treatment of tinnitus: comparison of different stimulus frequen-
cies. JNNP. 2008;79:212-215.
4
Argstatter H, Crick C, Belay HV. Music therapy in chronic tonal tinnitus. Heidelberg
model of evidence-based music therapy. HNO. 2008;56:678-685.
5
Goble TJ, Møller AR, Thompson LT. Acute high-intensity sound exposure alters responses
of place cells in Hippocampus. Hear Res. 2009 Mar 18. [Epub ahead of print]).
Highlights: Selected 2008-2009 Tinnitus

The following definitions will assist you in reading “Highlights:
Selected Tinnitus Research Studies in 2008-2009” (beginning on
page 12), which describes some of the notable tinnitus research
results from around the world.
Audiogram: a graphic representation of the relation of vibration
frequency that shows the softest sounds a person can hear at
different pitches or frequencies.
Auditory deafferentation: elimination or interruption of sensory
nerve impulses by destroying or injuring the sensory nerve fibers.
Basal measures: measurements of vital organism activities,
such as heartbeat and respiration.
Bilateral tinnitus: affecting both the right and left ears.
Cross-sectional survey: a study in which a statistically signifi-
cant sample of a population is used to estimate the relationship
between the results of the study and the various characteristics
of the population studied at a certain point in time.
Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus (DCN): a cortex-like structure on the
dorso-lateral surface of the brainstem where auditory nerve fibers
from the ear’s cochlea form their first synapses.
Epidural region: the outermost part of the spinal canal.
Epidural electric stimulation: treatment involving implanted
electrodes in the epidural region of the body.
Etiology: the cause or causes of a disease or abnormal condition;
a branch of medical science dealing with the causes and origins
of diseases.
Hippocampus: an area deep in the forebrain that helps regulate
emotion and memory.
Hippocampal pyramidal neurons: multipolar sensory neurons
located in the hippocampus region of the brain.
Hyperacusis: over-sensitivity to some frequency ranges of sound.
Intracranial hypertension: a condition where the cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF) inside the skull reaches elevated levels.
Multidisciplinary approach: composed of or combining several
usually separate branches of learning or fields of expertise,
specialized subjects or skills.
Neuroauditive cortex: the region of the brain responsible for
processing auditory (sound) information.
Neuroauditive cortex reprogramming: a therapy utilizing sound
to reduce the perception of tinnitus.
Neural plasticity: the ability of neural circuits to undergo changes
in function or organization.
Neuroimagery: various techniques (PET, fMRI and MEG) used to either
directly or indirectly image the structure and function of the brain.
Neurons: excitable cells in the nervous system that process and
transmit information by electrochemical signaling.
Objective tinnitus: head or ear noises audible to other people as
well as the patient.
Occipital: of, relating to or located within or near the occiput
(back of the head) or the occipital bone.
Psychoacoustics: a branch of science dealing with subjective
human perceptions of sounds.
Sham: a treatment, e.g., medication or procedure, used in a scientific
study as a control, usually omitting some or all key therapeutic ele-
ments of the treatment being studied; commonly called a “placebo.”
Somatic modulation: movement of the jaw, head or neck that causes
the loudness and/or frequency of one’s tinnitus to fluctuate.
Somatosensory: of, relating to, or being sensory activity with an
origin elsewhere than in the special sense organs, e.g., eyes and
ears, and conveying information about the state of the body proper
and its immediate exterior environment.
Subjective tinnitus: head or ear noises audible only to the sufferer.
Synaptic plasticity: the ability of the synapse (connection) between
two neurons to change in strength.
Temporoparietal cortex: a region of the brain known to be involved
in speech perception.
Tinnitus Handicap Inventory: a self-reported test utilized to assess a
person’s tinnitus-related handicap and to report treatment outcomes.
Tonal tinnitus: a continuous sound with a well-defined frequency;
heard as ringing, buzzing, chirping.
Vestibulocochlear nerve: a sensory nerve responsible for transmit-
ting sound and equilibrium information from the inner ear to the
brain; also known as the 8th nerve.
Tinnitus pathophysiology: the study of the changes of normal
mechanical, physical and biochemical functions affected by tinnitus.
Research Studies
6
Raj-Koziak D, Bartnik G, Skarzynski H, Pilka A, Fabijanska A, Borawska B., Tinnitus in
young patients up to 35 years old. Otolaryngologia Polska. 2008;62:476-479.
7
Londero A, Chays A. Tinnitus treatment: neurosurgical management. Neurochirurgie
2009 Apr;55(2):248-258. Epub 2009 Mar 20.
8
Henry JA, Zaugg TL, Myers PJ, Kendall CJ, Turbin MB. Principles and application of edu-
cational counseling used in progressive audiologic tinnitus management. Noise Health.
2009 Jan-Mar;11(42):33-48.
Glossary of Research Terms

Questions and Answers
Notice: Please feel free to call Dr. Vernon any Friday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Pacific Time at
(503) 494-2187 (please do not leave messages). You can also e-mail your questions to Nina Rogozen,
Editor, at nina@ata.org or mail them to Tinnitus Today, American Tinnitus Association, P.O. Box 5,
Portland, OR 97207-0005.
Jack A.Vernon, Ph.D.
QMy tinnitus (mild nonstop ringing in both ears)
started in 1990 and was caused by extreme stress
and worry when I received some very bad news. My
theory is that this stress released chemicals in my
body, including in my brain. I would like to know
if stress has caused tinnitus for any other readers.
A Stress causes the human body to release stress
hormones, which stimulate its ability to escape
or conquer the stressful situation. They target specific
organs of the body and generally have an immediate
effect. Many parts of the body can be affected by stress.
The heart and cardio-vascular system are good exam-
ples of places adversely affected by stress, such as heart
attacks and high blood pressure. Individuals vary con-
siderably in their psychological reactions to stress, which
also depend on the origin of the stress and their ability
to handle it. But one thing is pretty certain: all stress –
physical, psychological, emotional or spiritual – results
in physiological responses. It is difficult to say whether
the stress was the primary cause of your tinnitus.
QI sometimes experience a ticking sound in
my right ear. Recently when this happened,
I simultaneously felt tightness and pulsing in the
area from the underside of my chin toward my neck
(right side). It was more noticeable when I was lying
on my back. It lasted for a few weeks and is now
gone. Have you ever heard of this and is it possible
that there is a muscle, tendon or ligament that is
pulsing with the ticking?
Regarding your temporary ticking sounds, these and
similar types of mechanically-originating sounds are
not uncommon. And tinnitus is often accompanied by
a sensation of pressure. Sometimes a Eustachian tube
dysfunction appears to cause the problem. Also, we
now know that tinnitus in some people may change
when they move their jaw or neck or press on the mus-
cles of the head. Those clicking sounds that you heard,
and the sensation of pressure, may have been caused
by spastic behavior of the complex muscles of the head
or neck. It is possible that they are indicative of some
temporary abnormality of your temporomandibular
joint on one side. If you experience such feelings again,
you may be clenching your teeth, tightening your jaw
or grinding your teeth while sleeping. If it becomes too
QI am an ATA member and here is my ques-
tion. In the history of medicine, has there
ever been a case where tinnitus has stopped, gone
away and left the victim alone? If so, I figure that
there is still hope; and since it happened to someone
else, it could happen to me. If not, I will continue to
live with it and hope they find a cure during my
lifetime. That’s my question du jour. Thanks for
your help.
AYes, tinnitus can disappear on its own, but
this is rare and we don’t know the conditions
that cause it to do so. Sometimes the disappearance
seemed to be related to the use of masking. Other
times it just spontaneously went away, however that
is very uncommon.
You don’t have to wait around hoping for a sponta-
neous disappearance. There are things you can do
to help yourself, such as masking – using a variety
of sounds to block the tinnitus, such as ambient
noise, TV or radio, fountains. Some people find
relief with Xanax® (alprazolam, an anti-anxiety
drug) and some utilize methods of counseling
that help them better manage their tinnitus.

annoying, your dentist could refer you to someone
who can provide you with a temporary “fix” – a
plastic insert to wear in your mouth at night that
prevents teeth grinding.
QI hear a lot of comments about a cure for
tinnitus but I do not hear any comments
as to how such a cure might be found. In your
opinion, is a cure a realistic possibility, and if so,
how will it come about?
A Yes, I think a cure is possible, at least for
certain kinds of tinnitus. As you well know,
as hearing declines, tinnitus increases; it’s something
of a see-saw effect. Now given that dynamic, if we
can improve hearing it is my guess that tinnitus
will decrease.
How do we increase hearing? Hopefully we’ll do it
with stem cells. We can harvest these versatile cells
from the person’s own nasopharynx (uppermost part
of the pharynx, extending from the base of the skull
to the upper surface of the soft palate) so that there
is no or little chance for rejection. In my opinion,
work with stem cells has the possibility of enhancing
recovery from all manner of health problems.
“Visiting your Houston clinic was
the best thing I ever did.” – Lupe G.
“You gave me my life back.” – Allan W.
Migraine-Meniere-Tinnitus Clinic
We identify and treat the causes and triggers of tinnitus
Soraya Hoover, M.D., Medical Director
At the Migraine-Meniere-Tinnitus Clinic, we focus our diagnosis & treatment on
the patient’s physiological, pathological and anatomical malfunctions of their
nose, sinuses and Eustachian tubes. Treatment corrections aim to normalize
functions and equalize the nasal airway. This may take three to 10 days.
We accept most Medical insurance plans. Please call for more information.
Dr. Hoover is a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Board of Allergy
& Environmental Medicine and Royal Society of Medicine, London, and a Diplomat
of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Dr. Hoover has served the Houston
area for 25 years, spoken in over 26 countries and published in numerous medical
journals, such as:
– International Rhinology. Supplement 2.all.1987
– Tinnitus & Allergy. Proc II International Tinnitus Seminar, Munster, Germany.
1987. Publisher, Harch V. Karlstruhe
– The Journal of Japan Rhinologic Society. Vol 30,1(1991)
Shepherd Exit – 5151 Katy Freeway, Suite 300, Houston, TX 77002
Call (713) 626-4999 to make an appointment
www.tinnitus-menieresclinic.com/index.htm
http://www.headache-migraineclinic.com
ATA does not endorse or recommend any tinnitus products or treatments.
Advertisement
delicate cilia (ear hair cells) leading to SNHL,
tinnitus and hyperacusis.
Treatment for REKS has not yet been successful,
but prevention is a must. A light kiss to a child’s ear
produces a surprisingly rapid and intense ear canal
vacuum.5
An infant cannot say, “Mommy, I can’t hear
now.” Let us avoid preventable tragedies like this.
Kiss, and kiss away, but please avoid that ear canal.
Dr. Levi A. Reiter is Professor of Audiology and the
audiology program head at Hofstra University’s
Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences.
He teaches courses in diagnostic audiology, anato-
my and physiology, psychoacoustics, deafness and
electrophysiology. He is also on the faculty of the
Long Island Audiology Consortium and maintains
an active audiology practice in Brooklyn, N.Y. The
grandfather of 20 is a published rapper and enjoys
promoting the audiology profession with songs
like, “Say Whut?”
1
Reiter, L.A. The kiss of deaf. The Hearing Journal. 2008
Aug;61(8):32-37.
2
Reiter, L.A. Pathologic sequelae of ear-kissing. Abstracts of
the Meeting of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology.
2009 Feb;604.
3
Reiter, 2008.
4
Smaka, C. The kiss that caused hearing loss, or Reiter’s
Ear-Kiss Syndrome (REKS). Audiologyonline. 2008 July 28.
5
Reiter, 2009.
Can a Simple Kiss on the Ear
Cause Auditory Problems?
Clinical Trial of Acamprosate
for Tinnitus
Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Prevention
Program. Martin also serves as the Research
Scientist in Residence at the Oregon Museum
of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland.
Yong-Bing Shi, M.D., Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of
Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the Oregon
Health & Science University. He examines and treats
patients with tinnitus and hearing problems, as well
as voice and swallowing disorders. He also serves as
the medical director of the OHSU Tinnitus Clinic and
the Northwest Center for Voice and Swallowing.
In addition, Shi monitors brain, nerve and spinal
cord function during surgical procedures in which
those structures may be injured by the procedure.
1
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15000513.

Corporate Champions
$5,000+
AEG is a comprehensive
business solution company
that provides information
technology (IT) services to
companies and organiza-
tions throughout the U.S.
Leadership Donors
$100,000+
Marianna Dennis
Sustaining Donors
$1,000 to 4,999
Anonymous (2)
Dennis W. Anderson
Bryan Richard Aubie
Sandra E. Baan
Joseph F. and Frances A. Bachman, M.D.
John R. Bates
Anthony T. Cacace, Ph.D.
Stephen and Jennifer Sue Chandler
of the Scottsdale Foundation
Neil Cherian, M.D.
Roland D. DeCastro
Jeffrey A. Ferenz
Foreningen Lydhoer
Ronald K. and Donna Mae Granger
Richard E. Haney, Ph.D.
John Horst, Famous Tate Electric Company
Jim and Angela Hsu
William H. Hurt
Mrs. Leonard E. Johns
Mark K. Johnson, J.D.
Arthur F. Kuckes and Martha A. Wright Fund
of the Tompkins Charitable Gift Fund
John Malcolm
Robert B. Maloney
Bruce F. Martin
Steve Martin Charitable Foundation
Mary B. Meikle, Ph.D.
Microsoft
Gary P. Reul, Ed.D.
Stephen M. Schwarcz, D.D.S.
and Wendy J. McPherson
Jerry Shannon
Jack A. Vernon Ph.D. and
John L. Zabriskie and
Adelaide W. Zabriskie Fund
Special Donors and Tributes
Thank you to all of our donors. Your generosity and commitment make possible
ATA’s continuing effort to support innovative tinnitus research – investigations that
are searching for improved tinnitus treatments, and eventually a cure.We greatly
appreciate each and every ATA member.Without you, there would not be an
American Tinnitus Association.
We’d like to provide you with even more information on tinnitus on the pages
of Tinnitus Today. Therefore, beginning with this issue, Supporting Donors
($100-499) will now be displayed on ATA’s Web site and can be viewed at
www.ata.org/get-involved/donor-recognition.We will be recognizing all $100+ donors
in the April issues of Tinnitus Today for the previous calendar year.
All contributions to the American Tinnitus Association are tax-deductible to the
extent provided by law. For more information about giving to ATA, please contact
Katie Fuller at (800) 634-8978 x220 or katie@ata.org.
The gifts listed below include those from January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009.
Distinctive groups of individuals and organizations
ATA is proud to have the following individuals and organizations support our research
efforts and our crucial involvement in the tinnitus community.They include members
of the Jack Vernon Legacy Society, those who have generously included ATA in their
planned giving; our Corporate Membership Program; and Professional Membership
Program. The lists below include memberships through June 30, 2009.
Corporate Membership Program
Anonymous (1)
Virginia Blackman
John U. Buchman, M.D.
Carl L. Cochrane
Simon Couvier
Jules H. Drucker
Joy A. Fogarty
Drs. Norman and Gilda Greenberg
D. G. Gumpertz
Marcene M. Herron
Ginger L. Hoiland
Ben L. Jones
Harold M. Kahn, Jr.
Cliff Kohler
Virginia L. Lipp
Marita Maxey
Ruth E. Ochs
Edward P. Rosenberg
James W. Soudriette
Neil Valentino
Delmer D. and Wanda Weisz
Jack Vernon Legacy Society
ATA offers a special thanks to our Founding
Members, (names bolded below) who
joined by June 30, 2008, and helped ATA
successfully launch this great program.
As of June 30, 2009, our Professional
Membership Program includes:
Research Champions
Dhyan Cassie, Au.D., F/AAA
Ali A. Danesh, Ph.D.
Stephen P. Ratner, BC-HIS
Michael J. A. Robb, M.D.
Paula Schwartz, Au.D.
Professional Members
Dassan Ali, Sc.D., CCC-A
Marcia L. Anderson, Au.D., FAAA
Marty Ann Apa Au.D.
Janie P. Barnett, Au.D.
Kathleen Bartels, CCC-A/SLP
Randall Bartlett, M.A.
Linda Beach
Denise Bickley, M.A., Au.D.
Gail B. Brenner, Au.D., CCC-A
Frank Cardarelli
Max S. Chartrand, Ph.D.
Alissa Claar, Au.D.
Laurie Drake, Au.D.
Professional Membership Program
Timothy L. Drake, BC-HIS
Michel Eybalin, Ph.D.
Melodi B. Fehl, Au.D.
Flash Gordon, M.D.
Mark Gulliver MSc, Au.D.(C)
James A. Henry, Ph.D.
Sharon T. Hepfner, MA, FAAA
Melanie Herzfeld, Au.D.
Michael L. Hill, Au.D.
Maria Holdren, M.S.
Soraya Hoover, M.D., P.A.
Jacquelyn C. Jackson, Au.D.
Victor Jovan, BC-HIS
Tae Yoo Kim
Gregory D. King, Au.D., CCC-A
Martin H. Kulick, D.M.D.
John Kveton, M.D.
Deborah R. Lain, B.A., MSc.
Gail H. Leslie, Au.D.
Malvina C. Levy, Au.D.
Paula Liebeskind, M.S., CCC-A
Joyce Lim
Thomas J. Lobl, Ph.D.
Michael Mallahan, Au.D.
Randa Mansour-Shousher, Au.D.
Maura G. Marks, Ph.D., Au.D, CCC-A/SLP
Sara Mattson, Au.D.
David L. Mehlum, M.D.
Jill B. Meltzer, Au.D.
Karen Mercer, M.A., FAAA
Carl M. Nechtman, M.D., P.C.
Alfred L. Nuttall, Ph.D.
Phil Pack, M.S.
Meredith K. L. Pang, M.D.
Debbie Papadakis, M.Ht., BCH, C.I.
Treva Paparella
Margaret F. Peak, Ph.D.
Stephen R. Plumlee
Jean-Luc Puel, Ph.D.
Donald E. Regan, Ph.D.
Burke Richmond
Terry L. Roberts, Au.D.
Allen W. Rohe, Au.D., FAAA
Sharon Rophie, Au.D.
Roger A. Ruth, Ph.D.
Gabrielle Sadowsky, CCC-A
Katharine Sorenson, Au.D.
Edward Szumowski, Au.D.
Deborah L. Taylor, BC-HIS
Wayne Tipps, D.D.S.
University of Buffalo, Speech-Language &
Hearing Clinic
Erin Walborn, Au.D.
Kim S. Worona, M.S.N., RN
Contributing Donors
$500-999
Patricia M. Atwood
Arvest Bank
Rod Barron
Roberta M. Bartik
Gary A. Bleiberg
Marcia Powell Chapman, MSW
James O. Chinnis Jr., Ph.D.
Clear Products, Inc.
Anthony G. A. Correa
Frederick R. Entwistle, M.D.
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
Mark L. Goldberg
John R. Grayson Fund
Hearing Loss Association of
America
David Michael Keeter
Jodi Klein
Richard and Eva Klein
Robert K. Mauer
Michael J. A. Robb, M.D.
Thomas Sylvest
Tom J. Walen
Delmer D. and Wanda Weisz
Patricia H. Westheimer
Raymond V. Wojtusiak
J. Richard Yourtee
TRIBUTES
IN MEMORY OF:
Grant Acker
Henry Tobin, Ph.D.
Nancy Anderson
John and Faye Schleter
Pamela Armstrong
Adella Bratsos
Terry Asbury
Jack Asbury
Bear
Marco T. Carpio, M.D. and
Linda E. Carpio, LCSW
Joyce A. Berger
L. Ralph Berger
Sandra Bloom
John J. and Ann F. Henry
Robert Branigan
August E. Firgau
Curtis H. Carlson
Stephen C. Carlson
Bert Cooper
David S. and Nola Rothschild
Theodore J.G. Cotter
C.M Gucwa
Joseph DeAngelo
Rose DeAngelo
Charles Goldstein
Diane Schwab
Edward Goodman
Stuart J. and Marcy L. Feldman
Trudy Gottfried
Barsh Hearing Aid Center
John Greve
Catherine Greve
Dorothy Guttenberg
Stuart J. and Marcy L. Feldman
Herbert Hand
Donna Cronister
Naena Grissett
Nancy Huffman
Florence Mugnolo
Monte Nienkerk
Dr. and Mrs. Ron Rainosek
Steve Werner
Leonard E. Johns
Mrs. Leonard E. Johns
James Ihasz
Michael Bellizzi
Bob Johnson
Wayne Olsen
Edward J. Keels
Edward W. Keels
Margie Keeter
Stephen Klincik
Karen K. Adams
Nellie Koslosky
Richard Koslosky
Lettie Mannaway
Alexander M. and Doris Friedman
Ruby L. Masters
Abbas Emami, M.D.
David Loew
Lisa Wilson
James McLeod
Michael Dorosh
Irene Nelson
Marco T. Carpio, M.D.
and Linda E. Carpio, LCSW
Karol C. Neiderfringer
Alan Niederfinger
Pennrose and Sallyann R. Wolf
Alan Nickerson
Stephen and Deborah Cohen
Raymond Pantano
Greg and Jacquie Amiriantz
Linda Beach
William A. Fiordimondo
Ellen Pantano
William Patterson
Shreve High School Class of 1951
Leonore Mary Petito
Rosemary C. Petito
Steve Rodgers
Scott A. Wilhelm
Jonathan Rushing
David N. and Mary Edna Rushing
Elizabeth V. Saunders
James C. Saunders, Ph.D.
George Sciarrotta, Sr.
Thomas Sciarrotta
Theresa Senner
Janice Kirkland
Wanda Mae Shannon
Jerry Shannon
Merchant D. Slocum
Elizabeth Holden
Gert and Harold Soll
Paul Soll
Dana Lynn Spath
Patricia Spath
Charles Tecklenburg
Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.
Daniel J. Jr. and Melissa A. Nordman
Gerald N. and Patricia A. Padawer
Terry J. and Kim T. Schott
Paul E. Valentino
Stephen Gulyas
IN HONOR OF:
Nick Andrews
Kathi Holbrook
John Bates
Robin Ballenger
Chet Carey
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Carey
Patrick Collins
James Collins
John DeAtley
Chris H. Hansen, CFP and
John M. Britton of Personal
Choice Financial Advisors
Barth Engelman
Marge Engleman
Lisa Freeman
Joan Tibbetts
Craig Horn
Jo Williams
John Johnson
Ellen J. Sharp
Rose Kaput
Stephen Gulyas
Richard H. Keeter
Jung Liu
Anchi Miller
David Loew
Lisa Wilson
Lois Lynch
Isaac Lynch, Jr.
Thomas Mathews
Carrol G. Mathews
Donald Mitchell, Jr.
Donald Mitchell, Sr.
Peny Nading
Elaine Davis
Edith Perschall
Janice M. Stanley
Dave Peters
David W. Peters
Mari Quigley-Miller
Jonna DeBlasio
The Ross Family
Heidi Ross
James Roth
Barbara R. Roth
Faye and John Schleter
Sandra Schleter
Charles Shaw
K. Stern
Joseph Smith
David and Gail Cohen
Tinnitus sufferers
Janie P. Barnett, Au.D.
Tinnitus victims of war
Richard and Louise E. LaRosa
Katy Thatch
Donna Brown
Brooklyn Marie Thomas
Jack A. Vernon, Ph.D. and Mary B. Meikle, Ph.D.
Peter J. Van Loon
Greg Sorter
Jack A. Vernon, Ph.D.
James L. and Gail M. Shinn
Jack A. Vernon, Ph.D. and
Richard J. Salvi, Ph.D.
Daniel Williams
Alberta F. Williams
Robert Williams
Derwin and Charlotte Williams
Sallyann Wolf
Alan C. Niederfringer
Matching Corps
Allstate
Chicago Tribune Foundation
Gap, Inc.
GE Foundation
Illinois Tool Works Foundation
Lorton Data, Inc.
Microsoft
Oracle
Portland General Electric Co.
Symetra Financial
Corporate Visionaries
$1,000 to 4,999
Corporate Leaders
$500 to 999
Clear Products, Inc.
Cooper Mountain Wines
Flexion Therapeutics, Inc.
Free-credit-reports.com, Inc.
Paddy’s Bar & Grill
Corporate Members
$250 to 499
A1 Retrofit LLC
Amplisound
Bizon Nursery
Elliot Law Offices
James Robert Construction, LLC
Lagunitas Beer
NeuroSystec Corporation
Pacific Marketing and Publishing
Trademark Landscapes, Inc.

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Noise and Military Service: Implications for Hearing Loss and Tinnitus
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Hyperacusis: Mechanisms, Diagnosis, and Therapies
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Tinnitus Today Aug 2009

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