VNS Therapy for Tinnitus

Electrically stimulating the vagus nerve, which connects the brain and the visceral organs, could help temper the phantom sounds that plague tinnitus sufferers. Researchers from Microtransponder, a Dallas-based startup developing wireless stimulation technology, reported at a neurotechnology conference in Boston this week that the approach works in animals with auditory damage that mimics the disorder. The company is adapting its neurostimulation technology, currently being developed for chronic pain, to target the vagus nerve.

From MicroTransponder’s product pages:
MicroTransponder researchers are studying VNS for the treatment of tinnitus, stroke rehabilitation, anxiety, and several other neurological conditions. Our first VNS product will be the QuietStimâ„¢ System for treatment of tinnitus. The QuietStimâ„¢ System will require the patient to listen to a range of tones while receiving paired Vagus Nerve Stimulation. This method was able to permanently eliminate tinnitus in an animal model. We will be conducting clinical trials for this treatment in 2010. Vagus Nerve Stimulation has been proven safe and effective in humans for over 15 years as it has been used as a successful treatment for epilepsy in over 60,000 patients worldwide.
Taming Tinnitus with Electrical Stimulation