Translating Tinnitus Research Findings into Clinical Practice

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The National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR) will hold its 8th biennial conference titled “Translating Tinnitus Research Findings into Clinical Practice” from October 4th to 6th 2017, in Portland, OR. Tinnitus is a phantom perception of sound in the absence of external acoustic stimulation that cannot be measured objectively or cured. It is challenging to identify the neural mechanism(s) that result in the percept and differential diagnosis, quantification, and outcome measurement of tinnitus is complex. Approximately 1 in 10 adults in the USA experience tinnitus; it is a debilitating problem for about 20% of these individuals - resulting in insomnia, emotional, social, and workplace difficulties, and decreased quality of life. At this conference, the mechanism(s) underlying tinnitus and approaches to evidence-based treatment and patient- centered psychological and behavioral management will be discussed. There will be thirteen data-driven presentations by a mix of auditory scientists, computational and cognitive neuroscientists, audiologists, otolaryngologists and psychologists that will address: (1) the epidemiology of tinnitus; (2) neurophysiological models and neural correlates of tinnitus, and how this information can be used to develop interventions; (3) current challenges in developing a pharmacological “cure” for tinnitus; (4) the complexity of the tinnitus patient; and (5) the evidence behind using various approaches to treating tinnitus around the world. After each presentation there will be ample time for discussion, and there will a poster session and a closing panel discussion during which presenters, clinicians and scientists will discuss questions raised by the audience. This will tie together all concepts addressed over the prior two days. The conference organizing team is comprised of a Conference Chair, a Program Chair, and a Conference Coordinator. The audience will consist of auditory scientists, clinical audiologists, psychologists, physicians, and graduate students. The number of conference attendees will be limited to two hundred in order to create an intimate environment that will enhance open communication. It is typical for scientists to be involved in conferences of this type, but the number of students and clinicians that attend is often low. In order to remedy this we will facilitate attendance of both groups by offering at least ten scholarships to students and five to practicing clinicians, with at least three scholarships being awarded to minority applicants. The conference will be publicized though mass e-mailings and at upcoming professional meetings, announcements will be posted on the website of specialized tinnitus organizations, and will be published in audiological trade journals, and in bulletins from professional societies. Additionally, conference information will be posted on the NCRAR website. Conference content will be disseminated to non-attendees via a special issue of the journal American Journal of Audiology, and the conference PowerPoint presentations will be posted on the NCRAR website (with presenter permissions) for download by interested viewers.