It’s estimated that 1 in 10 adults experience tinnitus, often described as a phantom ringing noise in the ears. The condition can develop due to head trauma, hearing loss, exposure to loud noise or as a side effect of certain medications.

There’s no cure for tinnitus and its origins have long been a mystery. But new research from Oregon Health & Science University has linked tinnitus with elevated serotonin levels in certain regions of the brain. While far from a cure, the discovery could one day help scientists understand how to reverse the condition through brain chemistry.

Larry Trussell is a professor of otolaryngology at OHSU and interim director of the Oregon Hearing Research Center. Angie Garinis is a clinical audiologist, assistant professor of otolaryngology at OHSU and a member of the Oregon Hearing Research Center. They join us to talk about what this new information could mean for patients who suffer from tinnitus.

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/12/think-out-loud-tinnitus-health-science-research/