White noise effect on listening effort among patients with chronic tinnitus and normal hearing thresholds

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of WN on LE in subjects with chronic tinnitus and normal hearing thresholds. The study was a prospective, non-randomized, before-and-after, intra-participant intervention. METHODS: Twenty-five subjects performed the following tests: conventional and high-frequency audiometry, acuphenometry, screening questionnaires for depression and anxiety symptoms, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and high WM test from the Working Memory Assessment Battery, Federal University of Minas Gerais (WMAB) as the LE measure in two conditions: No Added Noise (NAN) and with Added Noise (AN). RESULTS: Seventeen participants (68%) performed better on AN condition. Data analysis revealed a 45% improvement in the WMAB total span count on AN setting, with a significant p value (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The subgroup of participants without traces of anxiety symptoms, up to mild traces of depressive symptoms, having unilateral tinnitus, and a THI level up to grade 2, had improved WM performance in the presence of WN, which suggests a release of cognitive resources and less auditory effort under these combined conditions. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 4.