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Patients, Families, Friends

Join the Fight For a Cure

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Quick Links: ATA's 40th Anniversary

ATA Electronic Newsletter

October 2011 Volume 1, Issue 3 From the Editor

ATA-Funded Research A Message ATA's Support Network ATA Advocacy Donate Now Dear Friends,

In Other News
Have you visited ATAs Blog? This is a great way for you to stay up to date on the latest in tinnitus research and treatment!

When putting together this issue of the ATA Electronic Newsletter, it occurred to me that this is the last in the newsletters inaugural year. We created it to supplement Tinnitus Today, so that we can communicate with our members more often throughout the year. We hope that you have been enjoying this new membership benefit and look forward to continue receiving it in 2012. As we celebrate the last three months of ATAs 40th Anniversary, I reflect back on some of the 2011 successes that have contributed to the future history of this great organization. One of those things was the expansion of our annual Jack Vernon Walk to Silence Tinnitus to include a satellite walk in Arizona. This event will continue into its second year thanks to a group of committed volunteers that include tinnitus health professionals and patients in the Phoenix metro area. Another new fundraising event is the Tour de Tinnitus, spearheaded by ATA member Mark Church who rode his bike across the state of Missouri to raise money and awareness about tinnitus. In addition, there were many advancements in the field of tinnitus research and treatment in 2011. Two international conferences were held this year for researchers to present their latest findings to their peers: the 10th International Tinnitus Seminar (ITS) held in March of 2011 in Florianopolis, Brazil and the 5th Tinnitus Research Initiative (TRI) Conference, held in Grand Island, NY in August. You can read more about ITS on ATAs website and more about the TRI conference later in this newsletter and in the December issue of Tinnitus Today. With all the good, we also experienced some great losses in 2011. We lost our co-founder, Jack. A. Vernon, Ph.D., in November 2010 and in February of 2011, we lost his wife, another

Listen to a story that aired in July on National Public Radios Morning Edition about living with tinnitus. The story features ATA member Mark Church and tinnitus researchers Jay Piccirillo, M.D., FACS., and Michael Kilgard, Ph.D.

talented and brilliant tinnitus researcher, Mary B. Meikle, Ph.D. No words can adequately express the loss of these two giants. However, some of the people who worked closely with them over the years penned some thoughts on Jack and Mary, which you can read anytime at ATA.org. We also lost former Oregon Senator Mark O. Hatfield in August. Senator Hatfield helped establish independent tinnitus research funding at the federal level long before ATA had an advocacy program and was an honorary ATA Board member for many years. Even though these individuals are no longer with us, their contributions in the fight for a tinnitus cure will live on forever. With all the progress in the fight to cure tinnitus, it is more important than ever that we continue the legacies of individuals like Drs. Vernon and Meikle, Senator Hatfield and countless others who have helped shape the current state of tinnitus research and treatment. Lets build upon the successes of 2011 and make 2012 a stand-out year as we continue the fight to silence tinnitus for good. Thank you from all of us at ATA for your continued generous support - you enable us to continue our mission and reach out to others with tinnitus.
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Kilgard, Ph.D.
Kind Regards,

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Jennifer Born Editor, Tinnitus Today jennifer@ata.org

ATA's Media page has a wealth of online resources available on the site, all in one location: ATA.org/media.

Walk Season 2012 Gearing Up!

The second annual AZ Walk to Silence Tinnitus will take place on Saturday, March 24, 2012 at beautiful DC Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona. If you live in Arizona, and would like to help the committee who is organizing the Walk, please contact ATA Development Director Wes Breazeale at wes@ata.org. Stay tuned to ATA.org for additional details on this event and how you can participate to help raise crucial funds for ATAs research grant program. If you are interested in starting a new Walk, or other event in your city, please contact Wes!

Holiday Shopping Can Help Cure Tinnitus!

GoodShop.com donates up to 30 percent of every purchase from more than 3,000 top stores to your favorite cause - and provides over 100,000 money saving coupons! Find coupons and free shipping offers at your favorite stores and a percentage of your purchase goes to ATA - at no cost to you! Here's how it works: Go to Goodsearch.com/goodshop.aspx Enter American Tinnitus Association Register for an account and simply follow instructions in welcome email Take advantage of online discounts and coupons A percentage of your purchase will be donated to ATA by the merchant

Check out ATAs videos on our YouTube channel.

If you have a Facebook page but have not yet joined the tinnitus conversation on Facebook, you can like us here.

Research in Action: ATA-Funded Research

Research Supported by ATA Could Lead to New Treatments ATA-funded researcher Shaowen Bao, Ph.D., and his team at the University of California at Berkeley suggest several new approaches to treatment, including retraining the brain and new avenues for developing drugs to suppress the tinnitus perception. Our findings will guide the kind of research to find drugs that enhance inhibition on auditory cortical neurons, Bao said. There are a lot of things we can do to change GABA functions, some of which could potentially alleviate tinnitus with fewer side effects. Dr. Bao received $99,949 from ATA in 2008 for his project "Cortical Plasticity in Tinnitus". Click here to read a report from this innovative study.

SAC Members Anthony Cacace, Ph.D., and Jinsheng Zhang, Ph.D.,

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Receive DoD $1.5M Grant You can follow the latest news from ATA including exciting updates to our website and Blog by subscribing to our RSS Feed.
ATA Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) Chair Anthony Cacace, Ph.D., (pictured left) and participating member Jinsheng Zhang, Ph.D., (pictured right) have received a $1.5 million grant from the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to study blast- and concussioninduced tinnitus. Their project is designed to study tinnitus and related traumatic brain injury (TBI) to the ear and brain resulting from blast and concussion injuries. These issues will be addressed in parallel animal and human models.

Thoughts from the 5th Tinnitus Research Initiative Conference

On August 19 - 21, 2011, the 5th Tinnitus Research Initiative (TRI) Conference took place in Grand Island, NY. More than 200 participants from 26 countries gathered to listen to the latest findings in the field of tinnitus research with a focus on neuroscience. The presentations during the conference demonstrated the impressive progress in the understanding of tinnitus made in the last few years. A better understanding of tinnitus has prompted new therapeutic options, which have shown promise in pilot studies. On the final night of the conference, conference organizer and tinnitus investigator, Richard J. Salvi, Ph.D., presented three awards; one of each for commitment, leadership and advocacy. Leadership Award: Dr. Berthold Langguth and the Tinnitus Research Initiative for their efforts funding research worldwide and for promoting the TRI tinnitus conferences. Commitment Award: Dr. James Snow and the Tinnitus Research Consortium for their long- term efforts of funding basic and clinical research related to tinnitus. Advocacy Award: Jennifer Born and ATA for their stellar efforts to promote research funding at the national level through the Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other organizations.

Tinnitus Today Member Archive

Are you a new ATA member? Or new to the computer? Either way, keep in mind that part of your member benefits include exclusive access to a treasure trove of archived Tinnitus Today articles in the online Information Archive at ATA.org/members. (To log in, use your last name and your ATA Member ID: MERGE_ACCT_NUMBER).

ATA Membership Dues Reminder

$35 Online Only members (you can read Tinnitus Today in a PDF format online only it will no longer be mailed to you). $40 Regular members who wish to receive Tinnitus Today in its print version. $55 International members who wish to receive Tinnitus Today in its print version.

To see a slideshow of photos from the 5th Tinnitus Research Initiative Conference, please visit ATAs website. The Winter 2011 issue of Tinnitus Today will include a full-length article on the TRI conference.

ATA-Funded Research
We are pleased to announce that one additional research grant has been funded by the ATA Board of Directors. Researcher: Jay Piccirillo, M.D., FACS, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine. Project: Exploration of Cortical Neural Network in Patients with Bothersome Tinnitus.

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Project: Exploration of Cortical Neural Network in Patients with Bothersome Tinnitus. Duration: One-year grant; $12,900. Roadmap to a Cure Paths: A, B, C and D. Scope: Use functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) to study cortical attention networks in patients with bothersome tinnitus and non-tinnitus controls to understand the role of the attention, control and other cortical networks in the development and maintenance of tinnitus. To read about all the research ATA has funded in 2011, please visit the research section of ATA.org.

Five Ways to Avoid Being Scammed by Products That Claim to Cure Tinnitus! Ignore websites that promote treatments without studies or research to back it up. Ignore ads that say Buy Now! or Miracle Cure!" Just because you bought it in a health and wellness store, doesnt mean that it will work or is even safe. An example of this is ear candles, which can be VERY dangerous. There are much more effective ways to remove ear wax. If you are unsure about a particular product, write to us at the American Tinnitus Association. We can likely help you learn more about a product. Remember, currently there is no cure for tinnitus stay tuned to ATA.org, ATAs Electronic Newsletter and Tinnitus Today Believe us, when there IS a cure for tinnitus, you will be one of the

Coming Soon to a Mailbox Near You - the Winter 2011 issue of Tinnitus Today
The Winter 2011 issue of Tinnitus Today will wrap up coverage of ATAs 40th Anniversary as well as include our Annual Report, which give a snapshot of ATAs finances, program area successes and tells you where your membership contributions have been spent. In addition, well feature a story on Bradley Vite, a new ATA Board member who has fought tirelessly in his home state of Indiana to enact noise ordinances that can be replicated in other states. Youll also hear about some brand new public awareness campaigns that ATA will be launching in 2012 and all of our regular features including our popular Q & A with special guest health professional Dr. Michael J. A. Robb and your letters to the Editor!

Do You YouTube?
ATA is putting out a request for video testimonials from our members. If you have the ability to digitally video record yourself, consider submitting a video for possible use on our YouTube Channel and on ATA.org/stories. Videos should be 1-3 minutes in length and should discuss things like: How you got your tinnitus; What its like living with tinnitus; What treatments youve tried and degree of success; Why you support the American Tinnitus Association; Or any other things that you think may be helpful to others who are living with tinnitus.

ATA will review each submission and if your clip is selected you will be contacted prior to it being posted. ATA reserves the right to edit or reject all submissions that are deemed to be misleading or inappropriate in any way. Please email all submissions to editor@ata.org with the subject line: Video submission.

Other ATA Video News

Have you visited ATA's YouTube channel lately? We recently digitized a wealth of historic public service announcements, news programs and television shows about tinnitus. Some of the celebrities in them include William Shatner, David Letterman, Jerry Stiller and Tony Randall. Check them out to see a blast from the past! Also, visit ATA.org/videos to view ATA's collection of videos created and produced by ATA, our dedicated members, partners and supporters.

Tinnitus in the News www.ata.org/sites/ata.org/files/pdf/ETT_ATA_Electronic_Newsletter_October_2011.html

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you will be one of the first to know!

Tinnitus in the News When the Ringing Won't Stop, Clear Your Mind
Allison Aubrey from NPR Radio reports on a treatment for tinnitus called Mindfulness BasedStress Reduction being studied by Jennifer Gans, Ph.D., at the University of California, San Francisco. Previous studies that tested Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, also known as MBSR, with arthritis patients and those living in chronic pain have documented significant improvements in people's quality of life.

Volunteer for ATA!

Are you interested in volunteering for ATA? There are many ways to give your time, below are a few opportunities for you to consider. Join the Action Alliance: Sign up here! Help spread the word about the importance of increasing federal funding and other support for tinnitus research. Contact Jennifer Born, Director of Public Affairs (jennifer@ata.org) for more information. Join ATAs Support Network: Become a tinnitus help network volunteer: Provide one-on-one support via phone, e-mail or mail to others in your area who, like you, have tinnitus; or Start a tinnitus support group: Meet with others who suffer from tinnitus, learn from special guests, and realize you are not alone. Please contact Katie Fuller, Manager of Member & Support Relations (katie@ata.org) for more details on becoming involved with ATAs Support Network. If you have a particular skill that you think would help us achieve our mission to cure tinnitus, please feel free to contact us about that, too!

ReSound Introduces a New Hearing Aid for Tinnitus Management

ReSound has introduced a new combination hearing instrument for tinnitus patients to its product line. The Alera TS combines an advanced hearing aid with a sound generator. The sound generator is used to administer sounds that make the disturbing tinnitus noise less noticeable, drawing attention away from it, a common approach in sound therapy. "The Alera TS helps change the way you respond to tinnitus by diverting your attention away from it," said Michael Piskosz, M.S., ReSound. "This kind of sound therapy when combined with informed counseling is recognized as a highly effective way of managing tinnitus." To learn more about the new device, visit: Gnresound.com/alera. How Loud is That Power Tool? New Power Tools Sound Rating Database The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a new power tools database that lists the decibel ratings of common power tools from 18 manufacturers and contains downloadable exposure files. Link: Cdc.gov/niosh-sound-vibration

Sound Pharmaceuticals Announces Clinical Trial Involving MP3 Players

The company says that in several preclinical studies, the oral drug SPI-005 was shown to improve the function of auditory hair cells and reduce the permanent auditory threshold shift induced by intense noise exposure. Currently there are no FDA approved drugs for the prevention and treatment of sensorineural hearing loss including noise-induced hearing loss. ** For all your Tinnitus in the News information, visit ATA.org/news. **

ATA Support Network Update

Since June, three new support groups have started and two new help network volunteers have joined our listing! Thank you to the individuals who are lending their time to help other tinnitus sufferers! Daring Bhadais* - Johannesburg Tinnitus Support Group, (Johannesburg, South Africa) Melissa Theis, Au.D. - Dayton Tinnitus Support Group (Dayton, Ohio) John Ogrizovich* - Dallas/Ft. Worth Tinnitus Support Group (Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX) Christina Rosolia - Help Network Volunteer (Naples, Florida) *also a help network volunteer To view ATAs full Support Network listing, and obtain the contact information for these groups and volunteers visit ATA.org/support. If you are interested in becoming a support group leader or help network volunteer, please contact Katie Fuller at katie@ata.org.

New Resource for Young People with Tinnitus

If you know a teenager or young adult with tinnitus, there is a new Facebook group just for
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Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars for these important events coming up: November 15 - 16, 2011: International State-of-theScience Meeting on Blast-Related Tinnitus November 17 - 19, 2011: ASHA Convention March 24, 2012: The Second Annual AZ Walk to Silence Tinnitus March 28 - 31, 2012: AudiologyNOW! 2012 Conference For a complete listing of ATA and tinnitus-related activities, including support group meetings, visit the ATA Calendar.

If you know a teenager or young adult with tinnitus, there is a new Facebook group just for them: Music-Induced Tinnitus in Teens (MITT). This page was started by aspiring tinnitus researcher, Gita Bhattacharya, who was highlighted in the last ATA Electronic Newsletter. Miss Bhattacharya has tinnitus and is trying to raise awareness about this problem as well as reach out to her peers who also have this condition. If you know a young person who may be at risk for developing tinnitus, or may already have it - pass this link along to them*! *Note: You must be logged in to Facebook to view the MITT page.

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Other Articles of Interest Interactive Sound Ruler

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) Noisy Planet campaign now offers an interactive sound ruler to learn about how loud sound can be harmful to people's hearing. Animated graphics give basic tips on preventing noise-induced hearing loss. The NIDCD sound ruler gives kids and adults firm guidelines about when they should wear hearing protection, turn down the volume or simply walk away from loud noise. To see another fun way to hear the different sound levels of everyday objects, visit Cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/noisemeter.html.

VA Tests Nationwide Health Information Exchange

The VA has joined forces with military and private-sector healthcare providers in a pilot project that tests the value of using the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) to share data among providers that care for veterans and active military personnel. Read the full article here.

Thanks for reading the October 2011 ATA Electronic Newsletter! We hope you found it informative and enjoyable. We welcome ideas and contributions from our members. Please send to editor@ata.org.

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