Plenary Lecture
Computational Models for Tinnitus Generation and its Management by Sound Therapy
Professor Hirofumi Nagashino
Subdivision of Biomedical Information Science
Division of Health Sciences
Institute of Health Biosciences
The University of Tokushima
Japan
E-mail: nagasino@medsci.tokushima-u.ac.jp
Abstract: Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the ears or in the head where no external source is present. Sound therapy is one of the most effective techniques for tinnitus treatment that have been proposed. The contribution of neural plasticity to tinnitus has been widely discussed in order to understand the neural correlates of tinnitus. In order to investigate mechanisms of tinnitus generation and the clinical effects of sound therapy, we have proposed computational and dynamical models with plasticity using a neural oscillator or a neuronal network model described by simplified Hodgkin-Huxley equations or an integrate-and-fire neuron model. For generation of tinnitus and effect of sound therapy, Hebbian hypothesis, spie-time-dependent plasticity or homeostatic plasticity is employed in the models. The computer simulation of the models shows that the models are able to replicate the generation of tinnitus and the clinical results that human auditory system temporarily halts perception of tinnitus following sound therapy.
Brief Biography of the Speaker: Hirofumi Nagashino received the Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Engineering degrees in Electrical Engineering from The University of Tokushima, Japan in 1972 and 1974, respectively. He received the Doctor of Engineering degree in 1982 from Osaka University, Japan, with the study of analysis of neural network models with reciprocal inhibition.
In 1974 he joined Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokushima as an assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor in Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokushima. Since 2002 he has been a professor in Department of Radiologic Science and Engineering, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokushima. Since 2008 he also has been a professor in Subdivision of Biomedical Information Science, Division of Health Sciences, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima. His research interest includes biocybernetics, neural networks and its application to biomedical engineering, particularly neural network models for oscillatory activities, signal source identification, pattern recognition, etc. He is an author (co-author) of more than 100 papers published in international journals and conference proceedings.