Is Tinnitus Hereditary?
There appears to be a predisposition based on heredity for some people when they are exposed to loud sounds, but whether or not tinnitus is genetically indicated is not certain. Scientists working on the Human Genome Project, for example, have not discovered a “tinnitus gene,” but they have identified genes that are responsible for a few rare varieties of hearing loss, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, Ménière’s Disease, and acoustic Neuroma. These conditions frequently include tinnitus as a side effect, which suggests that there might be a connection. For now, however, a connection between your mother’s tinnitus and your tinnitus is still unknown. We have recently funded a three-year study that is attempting to improve our understanding of a genetic component, if any. In 2002, Avril Holt, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan, received $200,000 from the American Tinnitus Association for “Differential Gene Expression in a Central Tinnitus Model.” Her abstract states: ABSTRACT
