Methods for the treatment of tinnitus induced by cochlear excitotoxicity

Abstract

The invention relates to methods for the prevention and/or treatment of tinnitus induced by cochlear excitotoxicity. In these methods, a pharmaceutical composition comprising an NMDA receptor antagonist is administered to an individual in need of such treatment by appropriate devices and/or formulations for local administration to the inner ear. The tinnitus to be prevented and/or treated may be provoked by acoustic trauma, presbycusis, ischemia, anoxia, treatment with one or more ototoxic medications, sudden deafness, or other cochlear excitotoxic-inducing occurrence. The invention also relates to method for the identification of compounds effective in the treatment and prevention of tinnitus by a novel screening method incorporating an electrophysiological test method.

1 .- 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . An electrophysical method for identifying compounds effective in the treatment of tinnitus, said method comprising:
 a) providing: i) an animal exhibiting tinnitus as is indicated by an ensemble spontaneous activity (ESA) with a spectral peak centered at about 200 to 250 Hz and ii) a test compound;   b) administering said test compound to said animal, and;   c) measuring the ESA of the animal to determine if tinnitus is reduced wherein the reduction of the spectral peak at about 200 to 250 Hz is indicative of whether tinnitus is reduced or eliminated.   
     
     
         11 .- 21 . (canceled)