Objective The goal of this scoping review is to identify features from previous resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) research that have the potential to be objective measures of tinnitus presence, and symptom tracking.

Methods Using keywords related to resting-state EEG and tinnitus we retrieved studies from Ovid, PubMed, and CINAHL. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: 1) studies utilized resting-state EEG to assess tinnitus symptoms or compare tinnitus patients with controls, or 2) studies used resting state EEG to evaluate intervention treatments for tinnitus.

Results We identified 129 studies, including 81 comparison studies and 48 intervention studies that used resting-state EEG. Spectral frequency were the most common results reported in studies that compared tinnitus to healthy controls, and in intervention studies. Connectivity and network analysis were the third most reported analysis type.

Conclusions Electroencephalography (EEG) has potential to be utilised as an objective measure of tinnitus, independent of subject reports. While no single definitive EEG marker for tinnitus was identified, emerging evidence from comparison and intervention studies indicates a strong impact of tinnitus on network measures and connectivity related features. We propose a pathway to establishing objective measures from EEG recordings. Combining spectral band power, network and connectivity as features and validating them with machine learning classification on large, diverse populations, is a proposed pathway to establish objective measures.

Significance Idiopathic tinnitus affects up to a 20% of the population, particularly in the elderly, is associated with hearing loss, and lacks widely accepted treatments. Assessing tinnitus, and symptom changes are challenging due to the lack of objective measures of idiopathic subjective tinnitus. This review focuses on the use of resting-state EEG research to identify candidates that may be developed for use in research and by clinicians.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This study was funded by a grant from the Rosetrees Trust and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf.

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