A buzzing, ringing or hissing sound in the ear in absence of an external source – tinnitus is a common symptom that affects 10-20% of the population. Many drugs have been studied for treating tinnitus, but no approved drug treatment is available. In their recently published book chapter in Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience, Tobias Kleinjung and Berthold Langgut explore options for pharmacological interventions.
Tinnitus is a common symptom for which there is in most cases no causal therapy. The search for an improvement of tinnitus through pharmacological interventions has a long tradition. One indication that this approach is possible is the observation that tinnitus can be transiently suppressed with the anesthetic lidocaine.
The book chapter “Pharmacotherapy of Tinnitus” reviews the different forms of Tinnitus, what can cause the symptom and what pharmacotherapeutic options are available. It also discusses the reasons why no approved drug treatment is available.
Kleinjung, Tobias; Langguth, Berthold (2020). Pharmacotherapy of Tinnitus. In: Geyer, M A; Ellenbroek, B A; Marsden, C A; Barnes, T R E; Andersen, S L. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016: Springer. Abstract