Methods for treating tinnitus by drug microinfusion from a neural prosthesis inserted in the brain

摘要

A method for implanting a neural prosthetic drug delivery apparatus into a target zone of a patient's brain for reducing or eliminating the effects of tinnitus. The apparatus includes a catheter which is inserted into the patient's auditory cortex or thalamus. The catheter microinfuses drugs which suppress or eliminate abnormal neural activity into geometrically separate locations of the patient's cortex or thalamus, thereby reducing or eliminating the effects of tinnitus.