Professor Sven Vanneste Delivers Inaugural Lecture on the Neuroscience of Phantom Sounds
On May 13, Professor Sven Vanneste, Chair of Clinical Neuroscience and Head of the School of Psychology at Trinity College Dublin, delivered his inaugural lecture titled The Neural Ripple Effect: What Phantom Sounds Teach Us About Brain Function, Disorders, and New Therapeutic Frontiers. The event, held at the exam hall, drew an engaged audience from across the university and beyond, highlighting Professor Vanneste’s significant contributions to the fields of auditory neuroscience and neuromodulation.
In a compelling presentation, Professor Vanneste explored how phantom auditory perceptions—such as tinnitus—offer unique insights into brain dynamics. These 'phantom sounds', often experienced in the absence of any external acoustic source, reflect the brain’s neuroplastic capacity and, at times, its maladaptive circuitry. Drawing on decades of research, Vanneste articulated how studying these phenomena provides critical windows into broader neuropsychiatric conditions, including chronic pain, depression, Parkinson’s disease, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Tracing the ripple effects of auditory dysfunction across various brain regions, the lecture highlighted the intricate interplay between bottom-up sensory disturbances and top-down cognitive-emotional processing. Vanneste outlined how advances in neuroimaging, brain stimulation techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation, and machine learning are being harnessed to target dysfunctional neural circuits—offering promising pathways toward novel therapeutic interventions.
Educated in psychology and criminology at Ghent University, Professor Vanneste earned his PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of Antwerp, with subsequent postdoctoral training at Harvard and institutions in Belgium, New Zealand and Argentina. Before joining Trinity, he held academic appointments at the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Otago in New Zealand. He is also co-founder of BRAI3N, a neuromodulation clinic pioneering non-invasive treatments for neurological conditions.
(Belgian Ambassador Karen Van Vlierberge, Provost Linda Doyle, Prof Sven Vanneste & Professor Carmel O'Sullivan, Dean of Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science)
Speaking to the ethos of his work, Professor Vanneste remarked on the importance of translational research that bridges fundamental neuroscience with patient care. “Understanding phantom sounds doesn’t just teach us about tinnitus—it expands our comprehension of how the brain reorganises itself in health and disease,” he noted.
The evening concluded with reflections on the collaborative spirit that underpins modern neuroscience, as Professor Vanneste acknowledged the mentors, colleagues, and patients who have shaped his career. His inaugural lecture stands as a testament to the School of Psychology’s international leadership in brain research and its enduring commitment to advancing both scientific understanding and clinical practice.