Noise sensitivity traced to changes in brain functions
Complete the form below to unlock access to ALL audio articles.
Some people experience strong discomfort of sounds around them and complain that they suffer from noise.
Previous studies have shown that noise sensitive individuals are more prone to negative effects of noise on health, such as sleep disturbance and heart diseases, and that sensitivity to noise may be rooted to one's genetic profile.
See Also: Hearing experts break sound barrier for children born without hearing nerve
In newly published work, researchers from the University of Helsinki and Aarhus University addressed whether noise sensitivity is manifested in the way the brain processes sounds.
They showed that the auditory system of noise sensitive individuals is less responsive to new sound features introduced among repetitive sounds, especially if the novel sound is noisier than the rest.
Seeming counterintuitive at first, this finding suggests that it may be harder for sensitive people to build a prediction about changes in a varying soundscape, and their auditory system might "tune down" its responsiveness to sounds in order to protect itself from overreacting to noise.
"We need further studies to conclude whether we've discovered something that is the reason why people are noise sensitive or is it the result of the brain's contractions against excessive noise. Nevertheless, this study advances the view on noise sensitivity being more than just a negative attitude to sounds and brings us new information on the physiology of environmental sensitivity," says the first author of the study, doctoral student Marina Kliuchko from the University of Helsinki.
Don't Miss: How does the brain respond to hearing loss?
The contribution of this study crosses boundaries of the brain science and reaches to public and occupational healthcare. The researchers hope that their work will highlight that noise sensitivity is an important issue to be recognized in planning noise control in living and working environments.
Note: Material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.
University of Helsinki press release
Publication
Kliuchko M et al. A window into the brain mechanisms associated with noise sensitivity. Scientific Reports, Published Online December 15 2016. doi: 10.1038/srep39236
