Tinnitus and Pain, One and the Same? - Prof. Peter McNaughton

Are tinnitus and chronic pain alike? Very much so, believes pain researcher Prof. Peter McNaughton from King’s College London. He discovered a drug that works through ion channels on both chronic pain and tinnitus.

Peter also talks about his rather controversial belief that tinnitus is a peripheral rather than central phenomenon, meaning that it originates in the ear and/or other outer areas of the nervous system, rather than in the brain. If he is right, this would open up new avenues for treatment.

(00:00) Is Tinnitus Like Pain?

(08:48) Mechanisms of Chronic Pain & Tinnitus

(16:52) Ion Channels

(25:14) Could HCN2 Inhibitor Drugs Work on Tinnitus?

(28:44) Relation to Similar Research Projects

(35:05) Drug Discovery Process

(44:51) Getting Pharma Companies to Invest

(53:59) How Quickly Can Peter’s Drug Come to Market?

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