Neuronal plasticity, the process by which the human brain changes as a result of experience, is thought to be the source of several chronic neurological conditions, including tinnitus. Using a rodent model for noise-induced tinnitus, Engineer et al. find that reversing neural plasticity induced by tinnitus can correct perceptual impairment. Repeatedly pairing tones with a brief stimulation of the vagus nerve sharpens auditory neuron tuning and eliminates the physiological as well as behavioural signs of tinnitus. This proof of principle suggests that simply restoring normal neural activity to circuits that have been pathologically modified could provide a benefit in conditions involving aberrant neural plasticity.
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