Can a dementia drug silence ringing ears?
NCT ID NCT07153991
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether donepezil, a drug used for dementia, can help people with chronic tinnitus (ringing in the ears). 70 adults with long-term tinnitus received either donepezil or a placebo for 3 months. Researchers measured changes in tinnitus severity using standard questionnaires.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- donepezil
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a medication to reduce the severity of chronic tinnitus symptoms.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 70 participants. The drug may not improve tinnitus more than a placebo, and side effects like nausea or dizziness are possible.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
-
About 70 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Nov 2021
- Expected to finish
-
Dec 2025
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * patients with chronic sensorineural tinnitus type Exclusion Criteria: * pregnancy, arrhythmia, donepezil allergy, yelow dye allergy, otitis or any ear inflamatory diseases, patients taking any medication for dementia, convulsive diseases, asthma, patients taking any of these medications: carbamazepine, dexamethasone, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampicin, ketoconazole, quinidine.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Universidade De São Paulo
São Paulo, São Paulo, 04356080, Brazil
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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