Articles tagged with Auditory Perception
Scientists discovered a species of South American bush cricket has hearing that rivals human hearing, using an entirely different machinery. The insect's auditory system performs all three stages of mammalian hearing and converts air-borne sounds into liquid-borne vibrations.
Scientists identify a novel structure that converts sound waves to mechanical energy, enabling insects to hear at remarkable frequencies. The discovery could lead to breakthroughs in acoustic sensor design and development.
A new study found that diabetic patients have a higher risk of hearing impairment, which is independent of aging or environmental factors. The study's findings suggest that diabetic patients should be screened for hearing impairment at an earlier age to prevent related health problems.
Researchers have identified a genetic biomarker for presbycusis, a condition that affects hearing and speech processing in older adults. The discovery could aid in prevention measures and offer hope for early intervention.
Research by UC's Susan Prince suggests that ancient Cynics, like Antisthenes, advocated for a rigorous path toward virtue and happiness, requiring drastic attitude changes and emphasizing ethical literature. This approach led to more leisure time, which could be spent living an ethically fulfilling life.
A team of academics will compare screening programmes in some areas to establish the most effective way of spotting hearing loss in children aged four to six years old. The research aims to determine whether a nationwide approach would be successful and cost-effective.
Scientists at Karolinska Institutet have discovered that the hairs in the inner ear not only move sideways but also change in length when stimulated by sound waves. This finding provides new fundamental knowledge about the mechanisms of hearing and may help develop a new treatment for impaired hearing.
Bilingual infants demonstrated an ability to discriminate between two unfamiliar languages using visual cues, suggesting that early exposure to multiple languages improves perceptual sensitivity. Skilled deaf readers showed enhanced perceptual span in reading, contrary to previous hypotheses that suggested this might hinder reading abi...
A study published in PLOS ONE reveals that our brains prioritize detecting new sounds over detecting when a sound disappears. In busy environments, participants often miss more than half of changes and experience longer reaction times to detect oncoming sounds.
A new study by the University of Leicester found that high volumes of sound from earphones can damage nerve cell coatings, leading to temporary deafness. The researchers identified a pathway from exposure to loud noises to hearing loss and believe their findings could bring significant healthcare benefits.
Researchers found that specialized cichlid swim bladder extensions improve hearing by detecting higher sound frequencies, while the size of the swim bladder also plays a crucial role. The study investigated 1,300 cichlid species with varying swim bladder morphologies.
Climate scientist Chris Field testifies before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, highlighting the link between climate change and extreme weather events. He urges policymakers to take action to reduce risk, citing evidence from IPCC reports and scientific research.
A new gene therapy approach successfully treats genetic hearing loss in mice by delivering the VGLUT3 gene to inner ear cells. This breakthrough offers a promising potential treatment for individuals born deaf, with improved hearing lasting up to 1.5 years in adult mice.
Research funded by NIH shows that deaf people use auditory cortex for touch processing and visual stimuli more than hearing people. The finding suggests that the brain adapts and takes on additional sensory tasks in response to early loss of a sense, such as hearing.
A new research in the FASEB Journal suggests that the AMPK protein helps protect sensory cells in the inner ear from permanent damage and maintains hearing after extreme noise exposure. The discovery provides a target for new preventive strategies and potentially even treatments for earbud deafness syndrome.
A recent NIH study reveals that children born with HIV are more likely to experience hearing loss by age 16. The researchers estimated that 9-15% of HIV-infected children and 5-8% of uninfected peers may be affected.
Researchers found that males vocalize during courtship, with receptive females preferring males associated with playbacks of low-frequency sounds. Females' sensitivity to these sounds varies depending on their sexual receptiveness and hormone levels.
Researchers at MGH identified a brain area sensitive to sound distance, independent of loudness, using functional imaging. This discovery could help future studies of hearing disorders and sheds light on how the brain processes auditory signals.
Patients with hemianopia experience improved visual detection of light stimuli after being presented with sounds on the affected side. Neural pathways that process information from different senses play a key role in this effect.
Researchers explore how humans perceive sound in complex environments and track patterns over time. Volcanoes' low-frequency sounds offer insights into eruption behavior, while acoustic diodes promise improved ultrasound imaging.
Researchers have gained new understanding of how our sense of hearing works, finding a key link between touch and sound. The study reveals that specific proteins play a vital role in detecting high-frequency sounds and has implications for future research into hearing and touch.
A recent study published in PLOS Biology reveals that touch sensitivity is hereditary and linked to genetic mechanisms that support hearing. The research found a strong correlation between touch and hearing acuity in healthy human populations, suggesting that a single mutation may impair both senses.
A recent study discovered a common genetic basis for touch and hearing, revealing that gene mutations affecting one sense can also impair the other. The research found that patients with Usher syndrome, a hereditary form of deafness, often experience impaired touch sensitivity due to a specific gene mutation.
Researchers have identified two novel genetic loci, Hfhl1 and Hfhl3, that affect high-frequency hearing in ageing-related hearing loss. These loci are limited to specific portions of the hearing frequency map and may explain only a portion of the variation in high-frequency hearing loss observed in mice.
A new scale measures homophobia beyond name-calling, finding male victims bullied by both males and females equally. Only 3.5% of high school students are victimized by homophobic aggressors weekly.
Researchers at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center found cochlear implantation provides robust and long-term hearing restoration for patients with advanced otosclerosis. The study used newer surgical techniques to minimize complications, demonstrating an effective treatment option for this challenging group of patients.
Researchers found that manatees can hear within the frequency range where boats operate, with good hearing between 8-32kHz and even ultrasonic frequencies. However, their ability to focus on these sounds in nature is uncertain due to environmental factors.
A study by Kelvin Lui and Alan Wong found that frequent media multitaskers outperformed light multitaskers in integrating visual and auditory information. This improvement was attributed to their ability to routinely take in information from multiple sources.
Researchers found that deafening causes rapid changes to motor areas in songbirds' brains, predicting which birds will have worse songs. This study may provide insights into how hearing loss affects the human brain's vocalization control.
A University of Gothenburg researcher developed research-based teaching material on sound, hearing, and auditory health, which improved students' knowledge and attitudes towards high sound levels. The study found that teaching about hearing can positively change adolescents' behavior.
A new study from the University of Chicago Press Journals reveals that consumers' product choices are driven by their goals, which can be activated through subtle cues in the environment. The authors develop a model explaining why consumers change their minds or switch loyalties.
A new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers estimates nearly 23 million Americans age 50 and older have untreated hearing loss. The finding highlights the need for increased awareness and access to hearing aids, as well as rehabilitative training to learn how to integrate devices into daily lives.
Tarsiers have been largely unchanged for 45 million years and possess the most extreme ultrasonic calls in the animal kingdom, surpassing all other primates. Researchers discovered that these animals emit ultrasonic alarm calls when humans are near, potentially as a means to evade detection by predators.
A new study at the University of Michigan Health System found that exposure to loud noise can cause long-lasting changes to sensory pathways. Touch-sensing nerve cells may be the gateway to future tinnitus treatments.
A new study from Henry Ford Hospital found that diabetes affects hearing loss in women, with poorly controlled diabetes leading to significantly worse hearing. The study also showed that men have worse hearing loss across the board, regardless of age or diabetes control.
New research shows deaf people are quicker at recognizing and interpreting body language than hearing non-signers. This ability may be due to the daily use of sign language, which enhances their visual system's processing capabilities.
A new study has discovered well-preserved fossil insect ears from 50 million year-old crickets and katydids, shedding light on the evolution of insect hearing. The findings suggest that these insects evolved their supersensitive hearing long before bat predators came to be.
A recent study by Tel Aviv University researchers found that one in four teenagers is at risk of early hearing loss due to excessive music listening on personal listening devices. The study recommends adopting European standards limiting output to 100 decibels and promoting awareness among schools and parents.
A new UCLA psychology study finds that the senses of hearing and vision interact at a basic level before producing estimates, influencing the way we perceive the world. Even when sound is irrelevant to the task, it still affects our visual perception.
A new study shows that sound can affect visual perception at an unconscious level, enhancing performance on tasks involving moving objects. Participants performed better when sound moved in the same direction as the object's movement, even if it was irrelevant to the task.
A new study by OHSU researcher Peter Steyger sheds light on why certain antibiotics harm the inner ear, providing hope for a potential solution to block their effects and save thousands of lives. The discovery is the result of Steyger's personal experience with antibiotic-induced deafness as a child.
Recent studies suggest that a 'pitch center' in human auditory cortex may not exist, contradicting decades-old research. The review article discusses the findings, highlighting the need for further investigation to confirm or deny the existence of such an area.
Shakespeare's works show that physical symptoms like dizziness and fatigue are common in characters expressing strong emotions. This data suggests the Bard was a master at portraying psychological causes of physical symptoms, making his characters more human and empathetic.
Researchers have identified long-sought genes in sensory hair cells of the inner ear that are essential for converting sound waves into electrical signals. By introducing these genes into deaf mice, scientists were able to restore electrical signals and potentially reverse a type of deafness, paving the way for a gene therapy trial.
Researchers at Virginia Tech discovered that certain bats can deform their ears in just one-tenth of a second, changing their ultrasonic hearing patterns. This allows them to adapt to different acoustic sensing tasks, outperforming humans in spatial hearing sensitivity.
Recent UC research examines the use of Depo-Provera as a eugenic tool, revealing that coercive reproductive practices persist in contemporary times. The study highlights how historical debates surrounding Depo-Provera mirror broader issues of eugenics, including racial and socioeconomic disparities.
A new diagnostic method using exome deep sequencing can identify genetic causes of hearing loss in under a week for under $500. This breakthrough technology has the potential to improve the quality of care for patients with hearing loss and lead to more effective treatments.
A study of 74 musicians and 89 non-musicians found that being a musician can delay age-related decline in central auditory processing, allowing older musicians to understand speech in noisy environments as well as younger non-musicians. This advantage was particularly pronounced for older musicians.
Egyptian fruit bats exhibit sophisticated spatial orientation using echolocation, adjusting their 'field-of-view' by altering sonar beam width and intensity in response to environmental complexity. This adaptability enables them to track targets and avoid collisions in dense environments.
Neuroscientists at UC Berkeley have discovered a new approach to treating tinnitus by retraining the brain, targeting areas that have lost input from the ear. The study also found that drugs can boost inhibitors to reduce spontaneous firing of idle neurons in the auditory cortex.
Researchers found that declines in hearing ability accelerate gray matter atrophy in auditory areas of the brain, leading to increased listening effort for speech comprehension. Early detection and intervention can help prevent speech comprehension difficulties in older adults.
A study by LSUHSC researchers found that two different species, frogs and bats, share similar perception of auditory cues driving basic biological functions. This universal perception may limit the evolution of communication signals.
A recent study suggests that keeping up with general health factors, such as denture fit, vision, and hearing, may reduce the risk of developing dementia. The study found that each health problem increased a person's odds of developing dementia by 3.2 percent compared to those without such problems.
The tiny water boatman has been recorded as the loudest animal on Earth, with a sound equivalent to 99.2 decibels. Researchers are now exploring the biological and engineering aspects of this phenomenon to clarify its mechanisms and potential applications.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield found that deaf people's retinas develop differently to capture more peripheral visual information, enabling them to see further into the periphery. This challenge previous thinking on how visual processing works and has implications for improving visual care for deaf people.
A new study reveals ocean acidification compromises fish hearing, leaving clownfish deaf to predators. Researchers reared larvae in different CO2 environments, showing that increased acidity impacts sensory systems, including those inside the fish's body.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics discovered a genetic cause of progressive hearing impairment: mutations in the SMPX gene. The disease affects both males and females, although women are usually less severely affected.
Researchers at UCL discovered 'inattentional deafness' when participants focused on tasks requiring high concentration. In experiments, only 2 out of 10 participants missed the tone when judging colors, but 8 out of 10 failed to notice it during length-discrimination tasks.
A new treatment for sudden hearing loss has been found comparable to oral steroids, providing patients with more treatment options. The study showed that both treatments led to similar hearing improvements, but patients with severe hearing loss benefited more from oral steroids.
A study found that injection therapy with intratympanic methylprednisolone was not inferior to oral prednisone in treating idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. The treatment showed comparable efficacy at 2 and 6 months, with improved hearing recovery rates for both groups.