Assessing mindfulness-based cognitive therapy intervention for tinnitus using behavioural measures and structural MRI: a pilot study
Abstract
Objective: We used a minimally-modified version of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) to treat symptoms of distress associated with tinnitus.Design: Audiological screening (establishing a baseline) was conducted prior to treatment and at three time-points: pre-intervention, post-intervention and follow-up, 8 weeks after completion of training. MRI tests were also conducted at these three time-points.Study sample: Twenty-one participants were enrolled in the study, of whom 15 completed training and audiological testing and eight completed the MRI portion of the study.Results: Scores on tinnitus-related questionnaires showed a significant decline either from pre- to post-intervention or from pre-intervention to follow-up, despite no significant change during baseline. Voxel-based morphometric analysis of the structural MRI scans revealed clusters in bilateral superior frontal gyrus that exhibited significant increases in grey matter volume over the period of intervention and follow-up. Further, grey matter changes in occipital and cingulate regions correlated with declines in tinnitus handicap.Conclusions: This pilot study supports MBCT as an adequate approach for treating distressing tinnitus and suggests that neuroanatomical changes may reflect reductions in tinnitus-related severity. Although our small sample size precludes drawing strong conclusions, there is potential for assessing neuroanatomical changes due to mindfulness-based interventions in tinnitus.
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All three pre-post studies of mindfulness-based interventions that included a follow-up assessment reported that 58% (7/12), 52.8% (96/182) and 62% (8/13) of participants showed reliable improvements at follow-ups.
“All three pre-post studies of MBIs that included a follow-up assessment reported that 58% (7/12), 52.8% (96/182) and 62% (8/13) of participants showed reliable improvements at follow-ups (Husain et al., 2019;McKenna et al., 2018;Roland et al, 2015).”
From A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Exploring Effects of Third-Wave Psychological Therapies on Hearing-Related Distress, Depression, Anxiety, and Quality of Life in People With Audiological Problems. (2022) · cites this paper as Husain et al., 2019
Clinically significant changes at post-intervention were seen for both pre-post studies of mindfulness-based interventions: 60% (9/15) and 50% (91/182) of participants.
“Clinically significant changes at post-intervention were seen for both pre-post studies of MBIs: 60% (9/15) and 50% (91/182) of participants (Husain et al., 2019;McKenna et al., 2018, respectively).”
From A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Exploring Effects of Third-Wave Psychological Therapies on Hearing-Related Distress, Depression, Anxiety, and Quality of Life in People With Audiological Problems. (2022) · cites this paper as Husain et al., 2019
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“A key motivation for assessing MBCT as a potential alternative treatment is the observation that CBT is reasonably effective in treating distressing tinnitus (see Cima et al. 2014; Hesser et al. 2011; Martinez-Devesa et al. 2010).”
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“Unlike the McKenna et al. (2017) study that used a minimal psychological distress level as an exclusionary criterion, we used tinnitus severity as an exclusionary criterion, excluding those with low severity from the study, thus providing a better gauge of the true clinical utility of this approach.”
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Smartphone Apps in the Context of Tinnitus: Systematic Review
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“However, in one study given in [72], the effectiveness of CBT in tinnitus has been discussed and has shown positive results.”
BackgroundReview and Perspective on Brain Bases of Tinnitus
Husain, F., & Khan, R. A. (2023) · Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology · doi:10.1007/s10162-023-00914-1 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
“Longitudinally, VBM may be used to observe how brain volume may change over the course of tinnitus development or due to an intervention (e.g., Husain et al. [27]).”
Self-citationZimmerman, B., Finnegan, M. K., Paul, S., Schmidt, S. A., Tai, Y., Roth, K., Chen, Y., & Husain, F. T. (2019) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.00747 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Self-citationInvariant structural and functional brain regions associated with tinnitus: A meta-analysis
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“In a pilot study, Husain et al. 69 also revealed that MBCT is a sufficient clinical implication for treating distressing tinnitus based on neuroanatomical changes reflecting reductions in tinnitus-related severity.”
Cognitive functioning and psychosomatic syndromes in a subjective tinnitus sample
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“According to some prior studies, the SFG plays a pivotal role in tinnitus in a way that is directly or indirectly related to auditory function (Chen et al., 2015; Husain et al., 2019; Kan et al., 2019; Krick et al., 2015; Vanneste et al., 2012; Xie et al., 2019).”
BackgroundResultAt-home meditation for tinnitus management
Fitzgerald, B. P., Stocking, C., Ralli, M., & Sheppard, A. (2021) · Hearing Balance and Communication · doi:10.1080/21695717.2020.1870825 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“…meditation practice were large (THI ds¼ 1.009, TFI ds¼ 1.081) and similar to other observations that used professionally delivered in-person services (Husain et al., 2019 THI ds¼ 0.5717, TFI ds¼ 0.8384, Zimmerman et al. [23] TFI ds¼ 0.977, McKenna et al. [19], TFI-MBT ds¼ 1.621, TFI-RT ds¼ 0.7783,…”
ResultInfluentialThe Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in the Management of Tinnitus.
Jariengprasert, C., Watanapornmongkol, K., Kiatthanabumrung, S., & Wisupagan, T. (2022) · International Tinnitus Journal · doi:10.5935/0946-5448.20220001 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“These findings are consistent with previous reviews 27-30 and recent reports 33-35 .”
BackgroundResultWang, X., Chen, Q., Huang, Y., Lv, H., Zhao, P., Yang, Z., & Wang, Z. (2024) · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111027 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Husain, F. T. (2021) · The Psychology of learning and motivation/The psychology of learning and motivation · doi:10.1016/bs.plm.2021.02.002 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Role of Mindfulness, Yoga, and Hypnosis in Tinnitus Management: A Comprehensive Narrative Review
Heidari, P., Tavanai, E., Rasouli, A., Khalili, M. E., & Fatahi, F. (2026) · Journal of Modern Rehabilitation · doi:10.18502/jmr.v20i2.21708
“Subjective tools such as THI, TQ, and HADS reliably assess tinnitus distress, while objective confirmation via imaging remains scarce and mostly limited to mindfulness and yoga interventions [26, 35, 36].”
InfluentialKaniewska, E., Kim, G., Khan, R. A., Tai, Y., Willson, C. M., Esquivel, C., Sherman, P. M., & Husain, F. T. (2026) · Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology · doi:10.1007/s10162-026-01052-0
“For example, Husain et al. [60] demonstrated intervention-related increases in GM volume using VBM, while Du et al. [61] identified progressive WM decreases using longitudinal DTI in tinnitus patients with sleep disturbance.”
Self-citationMindfulness-based therapy for chronic tinnitus: a narrative review
Zhang, Z.-C., Xu, Q., Wang, J., Luo, Y., Shao, Q., Li, Y., Lu, H., & Lu, J. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1738053
“Husain et al. (2019) used an modified MBCT to treat tinnitus-related distress, with results showing significant reductions in tinnitus distress and a significant increase in gray matter volume in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus.”
Audiology Through a Psychologically Informed Practice Lens
Laird, E., Bryant, C., Barr, C., & Bennett, R. J. (2024) · Ear and Hearing · doi:10.1097/aud.0000000000001603
- Authors
- Husain, F. T., Zimmerman, B., Tai, Y., Finnegan, M. K., Kay, E., Khan, F., Menard, C., & Gobin, R. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- Corresponding author
- Husain, Fatima T.
- ORCID
- Venue
- International Journal of Audiology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2019-06-21
- Volume
- 58
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 889-901
- ISSN
- 1499-2027 (ISSN-L)
- 1708-8186
- OpenAlex
- W2950643058
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 1.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Audiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Seed Grant for the Center on Wounded Veterans in Higher Education
- Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology
- College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › Noise Effects and Management
- Keywords
- tinnitus, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, tinnitus distress, tinnitus handicap, gray matter volume, superior frontal gyrus, cingulate cortex, occipital cortex, neuroanatomical changes
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Female, Hearing, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Pilot Projects, Tinnitus, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Gray Matter
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