Bridging the gap between psychophysiological and audiological factors in the assessment of tinnitus: an EEG investigation in the beta band

Background: Despite substantial progress in investigating its psychophysical complexity,tinnitus remains a scientific and clinical enigma. The present study, through an ecological and multidisciplinary approach, aims to identify associations between electroencephalographic (EEG) andpsycho-audiological variables. Methods: EEG beta activity, often related to stress and anxiety, was acquired from 12 tinnitus patients (TIN group) and 7 controls (CONT group) during an audio cognitivetask and at rest. We also investigated psychological (SCL-90-R; STAI-Y; BFI-10) and audiological (THI;TQ12-I; Hyperacusis) variables using non-parametric statistics to assess differences and relationshipsbetween and within groups. Results: In the TIN group, frontal beta activity positively correlated withhyperacusis, parietal activity, and trait anxiety; the latter is also associated with depression in CONT.Significant differences in paranoid ideation and openness were found between groups. Conclusions:The connection between anxiety trait, beta activity in the fronto-parietal cortices and hyperacusisprovides insights into brain functioning in tinnitus patients, offering quantitative descriptions forclinicians and new multidisciplinary treatment hypotheses.