Tailor-made notched music: proof-of-concept (loudness reduction)

Record details

Authors: Okamoto H, et al.
Journal / source: PNAS (2010)
Design: Small controlled proof-of-concept, 12 months of regular listening
Sample: 8 target vs 8 placebo-notched
Primary endpoint: Subjective tinnitus loudness; evoked cortical activity
Randomized: Yes · Sham/placebo-controlled: Yes · Independent of the manufacturer: Yes

What this research found

Reduced subjective tinnitus LOUDNESS (a genuine loudness outcome) and tinnitus-frequency cortical activity vs placebo-notched music — in 8 participants per arm.

The origin of the notched-sound hypothesis. Later, larger independent trials (Stein 2016 N=100 — negative on primary; Atipas 2021 — negative) failed to confirm, which is why replication is labeled 'Conflicting results'.

Limitations and conflicts of interest

n=8/arm; proof-of-concept only.

Funding / conflicts: Independent.

Primary sources

Used as evidence for

Notched sound / notched music therapy

This is an original summary from the Tinnitus Evidence verified database, checked against the primary source — not a reproduction of the publisher's abstract.