Jameson Mattingly, M.D.

Meet the Researcher

Mattingly received his medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky and was a resident in otolaryngology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He completed an otology/neurotology fellowship at The Ohio State University and then joined its faculty. His 2019 Emerging Research Grant was generously supported by donors to Hearing Health Foundation.

Patients who have vertigo (dizziness) that comes and goes can be a diagnostic challenge when it comes to determining whether they have Ménière’s disease or vestibular migraine. Both produce vertigo, tinnitus, motion intolerance, and hearing loss. The diagnosis of each
condition is based upon patient history with few objective measurements, and auditory and vestibular tests have also not been sensitive or specific enough to elucidate differences in the clinical setting.

This project’s hypothesis is that combining audiograms with vestibular perceptual threshold testing will result in a diagnostic power greater than that possible with either option used individually. The population of patients with Ménière’s disease or vestibular migraine is
an ideal setting to examine similarities and differences, as Ménière’s is classically an otologic disease and vestibular migraine, in theory, has little to do with auditory function.

My main research emphasis had been on varying aspects of hearing, and hearing health also makes up the majority of my clinical practice. These two interests and experiences helped form the foundation of this project, on which I am collaborating with Daniel Merfeld, Ph.D., who has been examining vestibular threshold measurements to differentiate among vestibular conditions.

I had a bit of natural skill with science and math when I was in school and was curious about everything. Once I had some research experience, I had the opportunity to spend a summer at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, doing genetic research in mice. This really propelled me toward pursuing a career in research.

The summer I spent at The Jackson Laboratory was one of the most memorable career experiences because I was immersed in scientific thought and surrounded by like-minded colleagues. I was able to interact with clinician-scientists who helped me understand how I could contribute to patient care from both a clinical and research standpoint. I always wanted to be a physician, so saying what I would be doing instead is a difficult question for me, but possibly a veterinarian, as it fits my interests in helping others and science.

Jameson Mattingly, M.D., is funded by donors to Hearing Health Foundation who designated their gifts for the most promising research. These projects address the full range of hearing and balance science.

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The Research

The Ohio State University
Differentiating Ménière's disease and vestibular migraine using audiometry and vestibular threshold measurements

Patients presenting with recurrent episodic vertigo (dizziness), such as Ménière's disease (MD) and vestibular migraine (VM), can present a diagnostic challenge as they can both produce recurrent vertigo, tinnitus, motion intolerance, and hearing loss. Further complicating this issue is that the diagnosis of each is based upon patient history with little contribution from an objective measure. Previous attempts to better differentiate MD and VM have included a variety of auditory and vestibular tests, but these evaluations have demonstrated limitations or not shown the appropriate sensitivity and specificity to be used in the clinical setting. Recently, vestibular perceptual threshold testing has shown the potential to better differentiate MD and VM by demonstrating different and opposite trends with testing, and these evaluations are ongoing. In addition to vestibular evaluations, audiometry (hearing testing) is a mainstay of testing in those with vestibular symptoms, especially with any concern of MD, and is thus commonly available. Standard hearing testing, however, is not sensitive or specific enough alone to differentiate MD and VM, but this project’s hypothesis is that combining audiograms with vestibular perceptual threshold testing will result in a diagnostic power greater than that possible with either option used individually. The population of patients with MD and VM is an ideal setting to examine similarities and differences, as MD is classically an otologic disease and VM, in theory, has little to do with auditory function. Additionally, this same principal can be applied to any disease process that affects both vestibular and auditory function (such as tumors, ototoxicity).

Long-term goal: To establish strong and reliable diagnostic tests to differentiate common etiologies of recurrent vestibulopathy, namely Ménière's disease and vestibular migraine; to further characterize the relationship between hearing and vestibular function within the context of these disease processes; and to examine both the vestibular and auditory systems and their relationships to each other.