Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40920691›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Multi-modal virtual reality system for tinnitus treatment methods and validation.

Hojun Aan, Kang Hyeon Lim, Jihoo Kim, Hong Jin Kim, Ye Hwan Lee, Eunjin Kim, Yoon Chan Rah, Intae Hwang, Euijin Kim, Sungkean Kim and 5 more

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Hojun AanDepartment of Human-Computer Interaction, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
Kang Hyeon LimDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5064-2138
Jihoo KimDepartment of Interdisciplinary Robot Engineering Systems, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
Hong Jin KimDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
Ye Hwan LeeDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
Eunjin KimDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
Yoon Chan RahDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
Intae HwangHealthcare Readiness Institute for Unified Korea, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1590-7367
Euijin KimDepartment of Human-Computer Interaction, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
Sungkean KimDepartment of Human-Computer Interaction, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
Jimmon KimDepartment of Human-Computer Interaction, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
Jiake YangDepartment of Human-Computer Interaction, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
Sangsun HanBionics Research Center, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kibum KimDepartment of Human-Computer Interaction, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2590-9600
June ChoiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6330-279X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) has been utilized in clinical treatment because it can efficiently simulate situations that are difficult to control in the real world. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of VR in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus. We assessed the clinical effectiveness based on electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis and questionnaire responses after patients participated in a 6-8-week VR-based tinnitus relief program. The intervention involved removing tinnitus avatars in the VR, through which we expected the patients to experience subjective tinnitus control. Standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography was used to analyze changes in source activity in prefrontal regions associated with tinnitus. The study included patients aged 27-68 years with chronic non-pulsatile tinnitus lasting ≥3 months. Patients completed VR sessions, neurological EEGs, and questionnaires. Statistically significant differences were observed in the tinnitus handicap questionnaire total scores immediately after treatment (p = 0.002) and 1-month post-treatment (p = 0.001) compared to those before treatment. Significant changes were also found in the visual numeric scale and profile of mood states scores 1-month post-treatment. Additionally, significant changes were observed in sensor-level and source-level power spectrum criteria immediately following the VR experiment, suggesting that similar to some forms of cognitive behavioral therapy, VR-based programs may help alleviate tinnitus-related distress in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus.

Indexed as

TinnitusVirtual RealityAdultAgedElectroencephalographyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID40920691
PMCPMC12416703

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.