TRI Workgroups

The workgroups represent seven research domains of interest. Each group has a detailed work program dedicated to a specific topic, on which researchers and clinicians from different disciplines actively collaborate. They assemble expertise and knowledge, cover the state of the art and assure effective synergy between different projects. Membership and program are constantly updated. Interested people are invited to contact the workgroup leader directly.

PHARMACOLOGY
Ana Belén Elgoyhen, Buenos Aires, Argentina elgoyhen@dna.uba.ar
The aim of this workgroup is the development of drug treatments for tinnitus. Both animal studies and clinical trials will be performed in order to discover the potential of specific compounds to alleviate or abolish different forms of subjective tinnitus.

NEUROSTIMULATION
Dirk De Ridder, Antwerp, Belgium dirk.de.ridder@uza.be
This workgroup aims to develop more efficient neurostimulation strategies for the treatment of tinnitus. It also focuses on a more detailed understanding of the pathophysiology of tinnitus by visualization of tinnitus-related changes in the brain, in as much as this is necessary to improve efficacy of stimulation designs.

AUDITORY STIMULATION
Grant Searchfield, Auckland, New Zealand g.searchfield@auckland.ac.nz
Specific auditory training procedures are developed, which might result in permanent tinnitus reduction by inducing learning-related plasticity.
Luca del Bo, Milan, Italy delbo@tinnitusresearch.org
Reduction in tinnitus may also occur through passive auditory stimulation, by exposing patients to specific auditory stimuli either through hearing aids or sound generators.

SOMATOSENSORY MODULATION
Tanit Ganz Sanchez, São Paulo, Brazil tanitsanchez@gmail.com
This group aims to increase knowledge in somatosensory tinnitus, and develop new therapies by means of different forms of somatosensory modulation.

NUTRITIONAL BALANCE
Manuela Mazzoli, Padova, Italy manuela.mazzoli@sanita.padova.it
This workgroup will systematically explore the therapeutic potential of specific diets, complementary nutriments and personalized prescriptions.

TINNITUS SUBTYPING
Michael Landgrebe, Regensburg, Germany michael.landgrebe@medbo.de
The objective is to set up a quality-controlled common database to be used by all tinnitus clinics and researchers in order to be able to compare data across centers and trials. By identifying subgroups that share specific characteristics and respond to similar treatments this workgroup targets the development of evidence-based individualized treatment algorithms.

TINNITUS CLINICS
Berthold Langguth, Regensburg, Germany berthold.langguth@medbo.de
Michel Paolino, Marseille, France michel.paolino@wanadoo.fr
The established network of Tinnitus Clinics will contribute to research, develop new therapies and establish a guide of good practices. Several clinics based on different continents with different local specialities and specific areas of competence provide the basis for an expanding international and mutlidisciplinary network. TRI coordinates meetings for clinicians to share experiences, to discuss a common approach to patients, to agree on new outcomes and priorities, to coordinate multicenter research projects and to develop the best practices. For the moment a consensus for patient assessment and outcome measurements has been published and its utilisation is largely recommended.
First participating clinics are in
Antwerp, Belgium external linkwww.uza.be
Auckland, New Zealand external linkwww.health.auckland.ac.nz/audiology/hearing-clinic.html
Marseille, France external linkwww.imerta.fr/index.php
Milan, Italy external linkwww.faev.org
Regensburg, Germany external linkwww.tinnituszentrum-regensburg.de
São Paulo, Brazil external linkwww.zumbido.org.br
and Valencia, Spain external linkwww.medynet.com.