Jinsheng Zhang, Ph.D., WSU assistant professor of otolaryngology, received a three-year, $162,027 grant from the American Tinnitus Association to study the possible link between electrical stimulation and hyperactivity in an important structure of the central auditory system called the dorsal cochlear nucleus. Zhang's team hopes to learn whether electrical stimulation can provide an extended sense of quiet from tinnitus during and after stimulation. This research may lead to new therapies for tinnitus based on the use of electrical stimulation.

Tinnitus, a medical condition that causes people to hear ringing in the ears when no external source is present, affects about 50 million adults in the United States. Although the condition can be relieved through a variety of therapies, no cure exists.