How the brain's electrical signatures shift as tinnitus becomes chronic

MedicalXpress | Aug 04, 2026

Ears are built to listen to sounds from the world around us, but for some people, the sound comes from within. Tinnitus causes people to hear ringing or other noises in one or both ears or in their heads, even when there is no actual sound outside. While tinnitus is frequently associated with hearing loss, a substantial proportion of individuals with clinically normal hearing thresholds still experience it, and the underlying mechanism remains murky to scientists. A recent study investigated how brain network patterns change as tinnitus progresses from a new condition to a long-term chronic one in people with clinically normal hearing.