Abstract: Sodium salicylate (NaSal) is the metabolite and active component of aspirin. NaSal is often used for tinnitus research because it can reliably induce a tinnitus-like behavior in animals at a high dose. Given that NaSal can reach a high concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid, we propose that NaSal induces tinnitus by changing the balance between excitation and inhibition in the central auditory system. In order to test this hypothesis, a series of studies were conducted to investigate the effects of NaSal on the neuronal responses and synaptic transmissions in the central auditory region with whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. It has been found that NaSal significantly suppresses the functional activity of GABA neurons, suggesting that NalSal raises excitability in the central auditory system to induce tinnitus.