Thomas J. Imig, Ph.D.

Aberrant spontaneous activity in the auditory system is commonly believed to be a cause of tinnitus. Current research projects are carried out in rats and utilize behavioral methods in combination with 2-deoxyglucose and single unit measures of spontaneous activity. One set of experiments tests the hypothesis that the tonotopic profile of aberrant spontaneous activity is a neural correlate of tinnitus. Other experiments aim to identify ascending and descending mechanisms of control of spontaneous in the central auditory system.