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Tinnitus guideline adds bimodal neuromodulation option; meta-analysis finds small cognitive gains after cochlear implants

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THE SHORT READ

An updated tinnitus clinical practice guideline in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery says clinicians may offer bimodal neuromodulation and should not recommend repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. Studies also reported small cognitive test gains after adult cochlear implantation and outcomes of an early, modiolar-proximity implant protocol for cochlear nerve aplasia.

THE DETAILS
  • Guidelines Oct 12, 2026
    Updated tinnitus guideline says clinicians may offer bimodal neuromodulation and should not recommend rTMS
    The updated clinical practice guideline on tinnitus, published in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, says clinicians may offer bimodal neuromodulation to patients with persistent, bothersome tinnitus and should not recommend repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. It also recommends a hearing aid evaluation for patients with hearing difficulties. Neuromod Devices, maker of the Lenire bimodal neuromodulation device, said it is the only new treatment recommendation added to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation guidelines since their establishment in 2014. The company said Lenire received a De Novo grant from the Food and Drug Administration in March 2023.
    Sources: Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, PubMed, Crossref, Neuromod Devices
  • Research Oct 16, 2026
    Meta-analysis of 20 studies and 798 adults finds small cognitive test gains after cochlear implantation
    A systematic review and meta-analysis in Otology & Neurotology pooled 20 studies including 798 adult cochlear implant recipients with postlingual hearing loss, tested a median of 12 months after surgery. Implantation had no significant effect on Mini-Mental Status Exam scores (pooled mean difference 0.63, 95% CI -1.02 to 2.28) and a small significant effect on MoCA scores (1.38, 95% CI 0.33 to 2.42). Across all tests, the pooled standardized mean difference was 0.32 (95% CI 0.19 to 0.44). The authors said further research is needed on whether the gains translate to lower dementia risk.
    Sources: Otology & Neurotology, PubMed
  • Research Oct 14, 2026
    Early, modiolar-proximity cochlear implant protocol tied to higher auditory scores in 46 children with nerve aplasia
    Seoul National University researchers reported in Otology & Neurotology on 46 children (86 ears) with bilateral cochlear nerve aplasia implanted between 2011 and 2024. A slim modiolar electrode with pull-back produced higher intraoperative ECAP positivity, and the EMPES approach (early implantation, modiolar proximity and early switch-on) showed higher Categories of Auditory Performance scores at 12 months than conventional implantation (3.00 versus 1.50, P = .010). The retrospective study found no clear link between MRI-based aplasia severity and outcomes.
    Sources: Otology & Neurotology, PubMed

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