Articles tagged with Auditory Perception
Scientists identified a physical mechanism in the brain that may help explain why progress can grind to a halt: the extracellular matrix loosens and rebuilds after each practice session, gradually stopping once a skill is learned. This dynamic process affects how the brain learns and retains new skills.
Researchers developed a method to modify vehicle sounds using auditory augmented reality, which can draw pedestrian attention without loud warnings. By artificially increasing the frequency of approaching vehicle sounds, participants judged the vehicle as moving faster and closer.
Researchers used trans-tympanic infrared laser stimulation of the cochlea to evoke reliable auditory-guided behaviour in awake animals, without invasive procedures or genetic modification. The study found that laser-evoked perception was processed through auditory pathways and could be controlled by changing radiant energy.
Researchers discovered the brain's brief 'dual tracking' ability to process two conversations simultaneously, potentially explaining why some individuals excel in busy social situations. This finding may help improve hearing technologies and provide insight into why certain people struggle with multitasking.
Researchers found that infants use spatial cues to track speakers, despite having immature brains, and exhibit more confined activity in the cortex compared to adults. This ability emerges early in life, suggesting a key finding for understanding infant cognition.
Research suggests that infrasound is registered in the inner ear through different sensory hair cells and electrical potentials, leading to varying perceptions among individuals. This discovery may help explain why some people are bothered by low-frequency noise while others are not.
Researchers found that babies' brains can process music from as young as three months of age, but spontaneous movements to music emerge later in the first year. Infants show enhanced auditory responses to 'music' compared to 'shuffled music', with significant movement increases seen at 12 months.
Researchers recorded single-unit activity in bats' inferior colliculus while they were freely vocalizing. The study found that 95% of neurons responded differently to self-generated vocalizations than to playback of the same calls.
Researchers found AI voice clones to be up to 20% more intelligible than humans in various testing scenarios, including noise, age, and accent. This breakthrough raises questions about the potential applications of voice cloning technology.
A new study suggests that many animal communication signals, including those from insects, birds, mammals, and fish, repeat at nearly the same tempo of 2 hertz. This common tempo may reflect a shared biological constraint, enabling brains to detect signals more easily and process communication more efficiently.
Researchers found that closing eyes impairs hearing in noisy environments, while visual engagement improves sensitivity. Visual engagement helps anchor the auditory system to the external world.
A new brain pathway has been identified that enables humans to quickly detect and respond to 'scary' sounds, leading to increased self-reported fearfulness. This pathway is associated with better hearing ability in noisy environments.
Researchers assessed whether people can distinguish between AI-generated and human speech, discovering that short training minimally improves this ability. However, neural responses became more distinct for human versus AI speech, suggesting training can help in the future.
A new study from the University of East Anglia found that babies with an increased likelihood of autism may struggle to settle into deep, restorative sleep. Those with high sensory sensitivity slept more lightly even in quiet environments.
Researchers compared brains of stroke patients with healthy controls to reveal differences in language processing mechanisms. People with verbal speech processing issues from stroke have weaker processing of speech sounds than healthy participants.
The study demonstrates the auditory cortex's ability to integrate fine-scale and coarse-scale temporal cues during synchronization, with better performance in macaques compared to the middle glandular body. The nonlinguistic oddball paradigm shows promise for clinical applications in psychiatric disorders and future research should exp...
Researchers found that people naturally blink less when working harder to understand speech in noisy environments, suggesting a link between blinking and cognitive function. Blink patterns remained stable across different lighting conditions.
Research finds infants with sensorineural hearing loss lack normal left-hemisphere language specialization. Early auditory stimulation and language exposure can help preserve brain development.
A biologically inspired computer model combines spatially and temporally congruent audiovisual information like humans do, overcoming previous limitations. The model reproduces results from 69 classic experiments across species and outperforms dominant models.
A recent study has found that auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia may stem from a disruption in the brain's ability to recognize its own inner voice. Researchers used EEG to measure brainwaves as participants listened to audio and imagined speaking, revealing a stronger reaction in people with schizophrenia who heard voices.
Researchers discovered that neurons in the brain's auditory cortex show large bursts of activity tied to specific moments in a task, suggesting a deep connection between behavior and sound processing. This 'tuning' mechanism enables the brain to produce smaller but more distinctive responses to sounds guiding task performance.
Researchers found that brain activity corresponds to perceived beat when listening to music via sound but not through touch. This ability is crucial for human social interactions through music and may be strengthened by long-term practice.
A study published in PLOS Biology finds no evidence of subcortical processing for selective attention, suggesting the auditory cortex 'turns up the volume' on focused sound. Researchers used novel experimental techniques to test this hypothesis using audiobooks and diotic and dichotic listening tasks.
Researchers developed a sensor system to measure piano key movements at 1,000 fps and found listeners could distinguish intended timbres regardless of training experience. Key movement features produce timbre differences, suggesting potential applications in rehabilitation, skill transfer, and human interface design.
Researchers found that people process sounds differently when walking compared to standing or walking in place. The brain responds more strongly to sounds while walking, and this response changes depending on the direction of the walk.
Researchers at Macquarie University discovered that listeners adapt to the characteristics of acoustic spaces to improve their understanding of speech. The 'Goldilocks' zone of reverberation, around 400 milliseconds, optimizes learning and adaptation.
Researchers discovered a brain mechanism behind 'specific musical anhedonia,' where people experience no pleasure from music despite normal hearing and other experiences. Studies using the Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire support this idea, showing reduced activity in the reward circuit when listening to music.
Recent research reveals parvalbumin interneurons contribute to the tonotopic organization of the auditory cortex. PV inhibitory neurons are crucial for maintaining tonotopy strength. The study provides new insight into spatial encoding mechanisms of sensory information in the cortex.
Researchers found that male mosquito brains respond to a wider range of sounds than females and have more diverse responses. This suggests that males use complex acoustic cues to locate females in noisy environments, making traditional traps less effective.
Research reveals that mouse whiskers can 'hear' the world by generating sounds that are encoded in the auditory cortex. The study shows that mice use these sounds to recognize objects, even when touch sensation is abolished.
A study published in Science Translational Medicine found novel biomarkers for tinnitus that correlate with nervous system's 'fight, flight, or freeze' response. Facial movements and pupil dilation measured while listening to unpleasant sounds can predict tinnitus severity.
A USC Stem Cell mouse study has identified shared genes involved in regenerating cells in the ear and eye, which could lead to new treatments for hearing and vision loss. The researchers discovered that inhibiting a specific protein, p27Kip1, can encourage regeneration in both organs.
A study by Dr. LEE Seung-Hee reveals how the brain dynamically adjusts sensory input prioritization depending on movement, with vision taking priority for navigation. The posterior parietal cortex and secondary motor cortex play key roles in this process.
Researchers from the University of Göttingen have discovered a molecular 'spring' that triggers the opening of ion channels in sensory hair cells of the ear. The findings provide new insights into how hearing begins at the molecular level and shed light on the function of ion channels.
A new study using OCT imaging revealed that nerve fibers in the inner ear adjust sound levels and compensate for hearing loss. In healthy mice, cochlear activity remained stable, but in mice with genetic hearing loss, cochlear function increased to enhance sensitivity.
Researchers at Purdue University are studying mosquito antennae to develop acoustic sensors that can detect natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis. By mimicking the unique structure of these antennae, they hope to create more sensitive sound-detection technology.
A new study by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory researchers explains how the brain updates associations between smells and sounds based on context. The findings suggest that a feedback loop between the olfactory cortex and olfactory bulb enables fast adaptation, allowing animals to fine-tune their motor responses accordingly.
A team led by University of Rochester professor Edmund Lalor aims to understand how the brain processes audiovisual information to improve speech comprehension for individuals with cochlear implants. They will use noninvasive electroencephalography (EEG) brainwave measurements to study how people respond to multisensory speech.
Researchers are studying individuals with a silent mind, known as anauralia, to understand its effects on attention and creativity. The University of Auckland is hosting a global conference to share insights from scientists, philosophers, musicians, and writers.
A USC Stem Cell study has identified key gene regulators that enable some deafened animals, including fish and lizards, to naturally regenerate their hearing. The researchers found a class of DNA control elements known as 'enhancers' that amplify the production of a protein called ATOH1, which induces sensory cells in the inner ear.
Researchers discovered that bats can navigate through obstacles even with their critical auditory pathway temporarily blocked. The bats adapt by changing their flight path and vocalizations, suggesting an innate ability to launch a Plan B in times of diminished hearing.
Researchers aim to shed light on how hearing impairment affects auditory perception, particularly in complex environments. They will use animal models to examine neural mechanisms contributing to difficulties in sound localization.
Researchers found that vagus nerve stimulation can improve sound discrimination in mice, suggesting a potential new approach to treating hearing disorders. The technique may also speed up hearing improvements from cochlear implants, enabling implant recipients to communicate more effectively.
Researchers found that geckos utilize the saccule, a part of their inner ear traditionally linked to balance, to detect low-frequency vibrations. This 'sixth sense' plays a complementary role in the geckos' normal hearing and sensory perception.
A new imaging device that combines optical coherence tomography (OCT) with traditional otoscopy improves diagnostic capabilities for hearing clinics. The integrated device provides detailed views of the eardrum and middle ear, enabling more accurate diagnoses and treatment.
A University of Maryland study reveals how the brain adapts to different listening situations, with the orbitofrontal cortex playing a central role. The findings may have implications for human health and well-being, particularly in conditions such as autism, dyslexia, or schizophrenia.
Researchers discovered that male mosquitoes listen for specific sound frequencies made by females of their own species to avoid mating with the wrong species. This finding has implications for developing innovative mosquito control strategies using artificial flight sounds. The study aims to prevent mosquito populations from reaching u...
This study compared the effects of augmented reality (AR) visual and auditory instructions on space station astronauts completing procedural tasks. The results showed that AR visual guidance was superior to auditory guidance in terms of task completion time, operation error frequency, and eye movement data.
Researchers successfully increase inner ear synapses in young mice to produce supranormal hearing, supporting a hypothesis on the cause of hidden hearing loss in humans. The study suggests that preserving or increasing synapses may improve auditory processing and offer new treatment options for certain hearing disorders.
A new study uses a closed-loop auditory stimulation approach to selectively modulate brain alpha oscillations in humans. The technique has been shown to interfere with sleep onset dynamics, highlighting its potential as a tool for neuroscientific research.
Research at the University of Zurich reveals that the first week after birth is a critical period for the development of senses, particularly smell and touch. Olfactory stimuli can induce neural activity across multiple brain regions, including areas responsible for non-olfactory sensory processing.
Researchers found that infants in English-learning environments were exposed to more spoken language than music, with the gap widening as they get older. The study used daylong audio recordings collected from home environments and crowdsourced annotations through Zooniverse, closing the gap on past studies that relied on parental reports.
Researchers found that middle fossa craniotomy significantly improved hearing preservation and quality of life for patients after removing an acoustic neuroma. The study showed excellent facial nerve outcomes in 94% of patients, while 68% preserved their hearing.
A new study reveals that neural activity related to sound detection and movement are temporally separated but share commonalities, with neurons adapting their activity based on experience. The findings shed light on the brain's complex processing of sensory information and behavioral choices.
A research team has made a significant breakthrough in understanding the GPR156 receptor protein's role in maintaining auditory function. The study reveals that GPR156 exhibits sustained activity even without external stimuli, highlighting its potential as a target for treating congenital hearing impairments.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered a molecular mechanism behind noise-induced hearing loss, which affects millions of Americans. They found that excess zinc in the inner ear causes cellular damage and disrupts normal cell communication, leading to hearing loss.
New Cornell University research examines how people form impressions about individuals from social media posts. The study found that viewers' ratings of Facebook users often differed significantly from the users' self-perceptions, particularly when updates included photos or links. Cultural norms also played a role in shaping these per...
A new study from MIT shows that computational models trained on auditory tasks display an internal organization similar to the human auditory cortex. Models trained on diverse tasks and background noise more closely mimic brain activation patterns.
A new study by Mass Eye and Ear researchers reveals that individuals with tinnitus experience auditory nerve loss not detected by conventional hearing tests. This discovery provides a better understanding of the origins of tinnitus and offers hope for future treatments and potential cures.
Researchers linked hearing loss to microstructural differences in auditory areas of the temporal lobe and frontal cortex. The study suggests that compensatory brain changes may lead to increased dementia risk, and interventions like subtitles or speech-to-text apps could protect against this.