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Forschungszentrum Jülich - Research in Jülich 2_2012

2|2012 Research in Jülich 13 RESEARCH AT THE CENTRE | Neuromodulation Question: Prof. Tass, what are the key results of the studies you have recent- ly published? Tass: The most important result of our controlled trial with 63 tinnitus patients is easy to summarize: 75 percent of pa- tients clearly or very clearly benefited from the treatment. This means that the patients subjectively perceive their tinni- tus to be much less noisy and also less annoying. Objectively, we demonstrated by means of EEG* measurements that the treatment has a positive effect on the patients’ brain waves and that the abnormally synchronized neuronal activ- ity subsides. Even four weeks after treat- ment, the effect was still there – the tin- nitus continued to be significantly better than before the treatment. Question: Are the synchronously firing neurons blocked or their signals “cam- ouflaged” by the frequencies used in your method? Tass: No. This is what sets the CR® method apart from other approaches such as noise generators. We want to al- low the synchronized neuron clusters to be active in their pathological frequency range – but they need to become desyn- chronized! The reason is that only active neurons are able to learn and unlearn anything. Suppression alone does not have any lasting effect. Question: What further trials with pa- tients are you planning? Tass: In Germany, another application trial has just got under way. Doctors are treating 200 patients over a period of one year and will observe them subse- quently for several months. In the UK, another trial with 100 patients is cur- rently being prepared as well. We are al- so planning a series of tests at Jülich in order to objectively and individually per- sonalize by means of EEG* the CR® treatment tones for the abnormal syn- chronization in each patient’s brain. To date, patients have been requested to identify the pitch of their tinnitus them- selves, but even professional musicians are not always able to do this with the necessary accuracy. However, for our treatment to be successful, stimulation has to take place in the correct frequen- cy range. Question: Will the CR® method be part of the clinical routine anytime soon? Tass: Yes, it will. In Europe, about 2,500 patients have already been treated suc- cessfully by our CR® method. The num- ber of specialized CR® treatment centres is also increasing. In addition to existing centres in London and Budapest, we are establishing a large tinnitus centre to- gether with the psychiatry section of University Hospital Salzburg in Austria. Tinnitus patients with four points on the severity scale often suffer from depres- sion as well. We would like to offer them CR® treatment in combination with psy- chiatric support. Question: What other diseases could be treated using the CR® method? Tass: Any disease that is characterized by abnormally synchronous neuronal ac- tivity in the brain, for example Parkin- son’s or epilepsy, as well as dystonia, pain or ADHD**. :: “2,500 Patients Treated” The Coordinated Reset® (CR® ) method developed by Prof. Peter A. Tass is an approach that can help tinnitus patients as well as those affected by Parkinson’s or epilepsy. The positive effect of this method is even visible in the brain waves as reported by Tass and his team in recent scientific publications. Ringing, swooshing, buzzing: three mil- lion Germans are affected by tinnitus. The causes can be found both in the ear and in the brain. Usually, the continuous tone is preceded by a hearing impair- ment. Loosely speaking, those neuron Synchronous electrical signals cause tinnitus clusters responsible for the frequencies affected by a hearing loss are simply bored. They start firing synchronous electrical signals, which the patient per- ceives as a distressing noise. The Coordi- nated Reset® method developed at Jülich helps the neurons to unlearn their syn- chronous firing by means of carefully cal- culated impulses that are adjusted to each patient’s tinnitus to help their brain return to healthy chaos. Prof. Peter A. Tass * EEG (electroencephalogram): non-invasive method for measuring brain waves. ** ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder): disorder characterized by massive attention and concentration problems combined with extreme hyperactivity in children and young people.

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