Reverse Correlation Characterizes More Complete Tinnitus Spectra in Patients

Goal We validate a recent reverse correlation approach to tinnitus characterization by applying it to individuals with clinically-diagnosed tinnitus. Methods Two tinnitus patients assessed the subjective similarity of their non-tonal tinnitus percepts and random auditory stimuli. Regression of the responses onto the stimuli yielded reconstructions which were evaluated qualitatively by playing back resynthesized waveforms to the subjects and quantitatively by response prediction analysis. Results Subject 1 preferred their resynthesis to white noise; subject 2 did not. Response prediction balanced accuracies were significantly higher than chance across subjects: subject 1: 0.5963, subject 2: 0.6922. Conclusion Reverse correlation can provide the foundation for reconstructing accurate representations of complex, non-tonal tinnitus in clinically diagnosed subjects. Further refinements may yield highly similar waveforms to individualized tinnitus percepts. Impact Statement Characterization of tinnitus sounds can help clarify the heterogeneous nature of the condition and link etiology to subtypes and treatments.