{"id":742739,"date":"2026-04-21T08:54:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T08:54:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/742739\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T08:54:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T08:54:36","slug":"ssris-may-trigger-tinnitus-neuroscience-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/742739\/","title":{"rendered":"SSRIs May Trigger Tinnitus &#8211; Neuroscience News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Summary: <\/strong>For millions of people, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are a lifeline for managing depression and anxiety. However, a new study reveals a hidden cost: elevated serotonin can directly exacerbate or even induce tinnitus (ringing in the ears).<\/p>\n<p>By mapping a specific \u201cstraight-line\u201d neural circuit from serotonin-producing neurons to the auditory system, researchers have finally explained why some patients report their tinnitus flares up after starting medication.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key Findings<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Circuit Specificity:<\/strong> For the first time, scientists have identified a specific brain circuit that links serotonin directly to auditory symptoms.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reversibility:<\/strong> When researchers \u201cturned off\u201d this specific serotonergic circuit in mice, the tinnitus symptoms were significantly reduced (ameliorated), pointing to a potential target for future drugs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The \u201cDelicate Balance\u201d:<\/strong> The goal isn\u2019t to stop using SSRIs, but to find a \u201cdrug regimen balance\u201d that treats psychiatric symptoms without overloading the auditory system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>Oregon Health and Science University<\/p>\n<p><strong>The same neurotransmitter commonly leveraged to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety also may exacerbate a vexing condition known as tinnitus, according to new research published in the\u00a0Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Tinnitus is a constant sensation of ringing or buzzing in the ears, creating a continual irritation for some and severe anxiety for others. Global prevalence is estimated as high as 14%, with many severely affected.<\/p>\n<p>  <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ssri-tinnitus-serotonin-neuroscience.jpg\" alt=\"This shows an ear.\"  \/> A delicate balance is needed to treat psychiatric symptoms while minimizing the experience of tinnitus. Credit: Neuroscience News<\/p>\n<p>Researchers with Oregon Health &amp; Science University and Anhui University in China found in a mouse model that elevated levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain also resulted in elevated behavioral symptoms of tinnitus.<\/p>\n<p>The findings should be especially meaningful for millions of people around the world who suffer from tinnitus, said co-senior author\u00a0Laurence Trussell, Ph.D., professor of otolaryngology in the OHSU School of Medicine and a scientist in the\u00a0OHSU Vollum Institute\u00a0and\u00a0Oregon Hearing Research Center.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople with tinnitus should work with their prescribing physician to find a drug regimen that gives them a balance between relief of psychiatric symptoms like depression and anxiety, while minimizing the experience of tinnitus,\u201d Trussell said. \u201cThis study highlights the importance of clinicians recognizing and validating patient reports of medication-associated increases in tinnitus.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Those medications include a common class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. They alleviate symptoms of moderate to severe depression and anxiety by increasing the level of serotonin in the brain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve suspected that serotonin was involved in tinnitus, but we didn\u2019t really understand how,\u201d said co-author\u00a0<strong>Zheng-Quan Tang, Ph.D.<\/strong>, of Anhui University in China. \u201cNow, using mice, we\u2019ve found a specific brain circuit involving serotonin that goes straight to the auditory system, and found that it can induce tinnitus-like effects. When we turned that circuit off, we were able to ameliorate the tinnitus significantly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis gives us a much clearer picture of what\u2019s going on in the brain \u2014 and points toward new possibilities for treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tang started the research as a postdoctoral scholar in Trussell\u2019s lab.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2018A delicate balance\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Researchers made significant advances from a\u00a0previous study published in 2017.<\/p>\n<p>In the new study, researchers used optogenetics via fiber optics to precisely aim light into the brain such that it triggered electrical activity of neurons that produce serotonin. They then tested the behavioral response of the mice through a modified type of auditory startle response.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you stimulate these serotonergic neurons, we can see that it stimulates activity in the auditory region in the brain,\u201d Trussell said. \u201cWe also saw that animals then behaved as if they were hearing tinnitus. In other words, it\u2019s producing symptoms that we would expect to be experienced as tinnitus in humans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The findings are consistent with the experience of people who report worsening effects of tinnitus with serotonin-elevating drugs like SSRIs, Trussell said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur study suggests a delicate balance,\u201d he said. \u201cIt may be possible to develop cell- or brain region-specific drugs that steer the elevation of serotonin in some brain regions but not others. In that way, it may be possible to separate the beneficial and important effects of the antidepressant from the potentially harmful effects on hearing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Funding: <\/strong>Trussell\u2019s work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, award RO1DC004450. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.<\/p>\n<p>Key Questions Answered:<strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Q: Should I stop taking my SSRI if my ears start ringing?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><strong>A:<\/strong> <strong>No. Never stop medication without a doctor\u2019s guidance.<\/strong> Tinnitus is frustrating, but depression and anxiety are serious conditions. The researchers suggest working with your physician to find a \u201cdelicate balance\u201d or perhaps a different class of medication that doesn\u2019t trigger your specific auditory circuits.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Q: Does everyone who takes an SSRI get tinnitus?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><strong>A:<\/strong> No. Tinnitus is a complex condition influenced by many factors, including past loud noise exposure and genetics. This study explains the mechanism for why it happens to some, but it doesn\u2019t mean it will happen to everyone.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Q: Is there a cure for tinnitus on the horizon because of this?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><strong>A:<\/strong> This study is a major step forward. By identifying the exact circuit involved, researchers can now move toward developing \u201cprecision\u201d drugs that turn off the ringing without affecting your mood or other brain functions.<\/p>\n<p>Editorial Notes:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\" class=\"wp-block-list has-background\">\n<li>This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.<\/li>\n<li>Journal paper reviewed in full.<\/li>\n<li>Additional context added by our staff.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>About this psychopharmacology and auditory neuroscience research news<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\"><strong>Author:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.utoronto.ca\/news\/authors-reporters\/don-campbell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><a href=\"http:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#a5d7cac7cccbc0d7cce5cacdd6d08bc0c1d0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Erik Robinson<\/a><br \/><strong>Source:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ohsu.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Oregon Health &amp; Science University<\/a><br \/><strong>Contact:\u00a0<\/strong>Erik Robinson \u2013 Oregon Health &amp; Science University<br \/><strong>Image:\u00a0<\/strong>The image is credited to Neuroscience News<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\"><strong>Original Research:\u00a0<\/strong>Closed access.<br \/>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2509692123\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">A discrete serotonergic circuit involved in the generation of tinnitus behavior<\/a>\u201d by Meng-Ting Yu, Zhen-Yu Dai, Si-Xin Wang, Ke-Jian Wang, Chun-Hui Qin, Yi-Mei Zhou, Xiao-Tao Guo, Chun-Chen Pan, Jia-Qiang Sun, Jing-Wu Sun, Wei-Heng Chen, Yan Jin, Qin-Wei Wu, Laurence O. Trussell, and Zheng-Quan Tang.\u00a0PNAS<br \/><strong>DOI:10.1073\/pnas.2509692123<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>A discrete serotonergic circuit involved in the generation of tinnitus behavior<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Although dysregulated serotonergic neurotransmission has been implicated in the pathophysiology of tinnitus, the precise neural circuit mechanisms underlying this complex sensory neurological disorder remain elusive.<\/p>\n<p> In the current study, we investigated whether a serotonergic input from the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) to the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN), a key auditory brain region whose hyperactivity is associated with tinnitus, modulates behaviors in mice consistent with the presence of tinnitus. Using neural tracing and viral-genetic methods, we identified an anatomically and functionally defined serotonergic subpopulation in the DRN that projects to the DCN (5-HTDRN\u2192DCN\u00a0neurons).<\/p>\n<p>Optogenetic activation of 5-HTDRN\u2192DCN\u00a0circuit increased spike activity in DCN fusiform cells, exhibiting characteristics consistent with tinnitus-like electrical hyperactivity. Chemogenetic activation of 5-HTDRN\u2192DCN\u00a0circuit induced tinnitus-related behaviors in mice, which was largely reversed by blocking 5-HT2A\u00a0receptors.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, we found that noise exposure increased 5-HT levels in the DCN and the activity of 5-HTDRN\u2192DCN\u00a0neurons in mice with noise-induced tinnitus-related behaviors.<\/p>\n<p>Importantly, chemogenetic inhibition of 5-HTDRN\u2192DCN\u00a0circuit ameliorated significantly noise-induced tinnitus\u2013related behavior in mice. These results reveal that activation of 5-HTDRN\u2192DCN\u00a0circuit induces hyperactivity in the DCN sufficient for the perceptual generation and modulation of tinnitus.<\/p>\n<p>These findings provide direct evidence that 5-HT neurons in the DRN play an important role in tinnitus and facilitate our understanding of the circuit mechanisms of pathophysiology in sensory neurological disorders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Summary: For millions of people, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are a lifeline for managing depression and anxiety.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":742740,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[11],"tags":[18830,145046,306216,6017,210,517,831,169138,1737,39649,22111,11826,58186,67,132,68],"class_list":["post-742739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-antidepressants","tag-auditory-neuroscience","tag-auditory-system","tag-depression","tag-health","tag-mental-health","tag-neuroscience","tag-oregon-health-and-science-university","tag-psychology","tag-psychopharmacology","tag-serotonin","tag-ssris","tag-tinnitus","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116441859311206327","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/742739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=742739"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/742739\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/742740"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=742739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=742739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=742739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}