Articles tagged with Auditory Perception
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.
A large clinical trial has shown that direct injection of steroids into the middle ear is equally effective as oral steroids in restoring hearing levels in patients with sudden deafness. The study results, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, have implications for treatment options and cost-effectiveness.
Researchers from Case Western Reserve University are rethinking participation criteria in biomedical studies to make them more inclusive of people with disabilities. They argue that excluding people with disabilities from research can lead to missing crucial scientific evidence and health-related differences.
A study by Columbia Business School and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev found that judges' willingness to grant parole can be influenced by time between breaks. After a break, 65% of cases were granted parole, with rates dropping to zero and then rising again. The study bolsters research on psychological biases in experienced judges.
A study found nearly one-third of pediatric cochlear implant recipients passed newborn screening but were diagnosed later with hearing loss. Children who failed screenings were diagnosed and implanted earlier than those who passed or weren
A study published in PLoS ONE found that listening to loud music through earphones for extended periods can cause neurophysiological changes related to sound discrimination. The researchers discovered that portable music player users had a harder time distinguishing between sounds and background noises.
Researchers at WashU Medicine have identified a low-dose, two-drug cocktail that reduces hearing loss in mice when given before exposure to loud noise. The combination of anticonvulsant and glucocorticoid drugs shows comparable hearing protection at lower doses than when administered alone.
Hearing impairment is a common condition among middle-aged adults, affecting up to 29 million Americans. The study found that cardiovascular disease risk factors and noisy occupations are associated with an increased likelihood of hearing impairment. Early detection and prevention may be possible if the condition is detected early.
Seniors with hearing loss are more likely to develop dementia over time than those with normal hearing. The study found a significant link between the two conditions, with the risk of developing dementia increasing by twofold, threefold, and fivefold for individuals with mild, moderate, and severe hearing loss.
Researchers have discovered that mucosa-derived stem cells can preserve hearing function in children with sensorineural hearing loss. The study shows promising results for nasal stem cell transplants as a potential treatment for this condition and potentially other diseases such as Parkinson's disease and cardiac infarction.
A study by Ben-Gurion University researchers found that workers with occupational-related hearing loss experienced impaired sleep quality, including insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness. The study also discovered a significant correlation between tinnitus symptoms and sleep disruptions in workers exposed to harmful noise.
A new study reveals that deaf and hard-of-hearing children are more likely to experience abuse and neglect, with higher rates of depression and post-traumatic stress in adulthood. The research found that having a deaf parent or family member did not reduce the risk of childhood maltreatment.
According to a 21-year study, surgery for acoustic neuromas achieves gross total resection in the vast majority of patients, resulting in minimal morbidity and mortality. The procedure also preserves facial function in 90% of cases, with 44% of patients regaining useful hearing in the affected ear.
Non-smokers exposed to tobacco smoke are at risk of hearing loss, with men and older individuals more likely to experience high-frequency hearing loss. Even low levels of passive smoking can continue the progression of hearing loss in former smokers.
Research by University of Sheffield finds that deaf adults can react more quickly to objects at the edge of their visual field than hearing people. Children born deaf initially have slower reaction times, but improve as they age and develop better-than-normal peripheral vision by adulthood.
Researchers studied the closest living relative of tetrapods, the African lungfish, and found that they lack sensitivity to airborne sound. The inner ear's structure suggests a high vibration sensitivity but limits hearing to very low frequencies, implying that early tetrapod ancestors were probably deaf to airborne sound.
A new implantable device aims to restore balance during Meniere's disease attacks while preserving natural hearing and residual balance function. The device, developed by University of Washington researchers, has shown promising results in a 10-person surgical trial.
Children with permanent hearing impairment who received newborn hearing screening had better general and language developmental outcomes and quality of life compared to those who received behavioral testing at 9 months. Early detection and intervention are crucial for social functioning and development.
Researchers found that hearing repetitive sounds in brand names can affect a person's mood, leading to increased emotional response when choosing products. Marketers and advertisers can leverage this strategy through TV ads and employee interactions.
Researchers have made significant discoveries about squid hearing mechanisms, shedding light on how they navigate, sense danger, and communicate with each other. Squid use statocysts to detect sound waves, but their hearing is limited to specific frequencies, which may explain why they are a prolific food source.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School studied two closely linked genes that contribute to hearing function in mice, revealing separate maintenance pathways for β-actin and γ-actin proteins. These findings suggest important roles for each protein in maintaining auditory function during aging.
Researchers at the University of Western Ontario discovered a causal link between enhanced visual abilities and reorganization of brain areas in congenitally deaf cats. Visual localization and motion detection are the two specific abilities that are enhanced in deaf individuals.
A Spanish study reveals that combining noise and chemical contaminants can exacerbate hearing loss in workers. While protective masks can filter particles, they have limited effect on toxic gas molecules.
A 59-year-old patient's vertigo and severe hearing loss were alleviated with surgery, restoring her hearing in an extremely rare occurrence. The case highlights the risks of using cotton swabs to clean ears without medical guidance.
A study published in Psychological Science found that hearing only one side of a conversation makes it more distracting than hearing both sides. Volunteers performed worse on concentration tasks when they could only hear half of the conversation.
A team of researchers has developed a simulation to better understand the impact of sound on marine mammals like whales and dolphins. The simulation uses advanced computing and X-ray CT scanners to create a 3D virtual environment, allowing scientists to study the effects of sound on these organisms.
A new study found that praying for another person's healing can be effective, especially when the prayerer is physically near the person. The study, which measured improved hearing and vision in rural Mozambican subjects, revealed statistically significant benefits after proximal intercessory prayer (PIP) was administered.
Researchers at UC Riverside found that people who lipread a silent face articulate words sound like the person speaking, rather than their own words. This suggests that our brains are primed by speech articulation and can imitate speech patterns even when we're not actively listening.
Researchers found that hearing the name of an object improves participants' ability to see it, even when flashed onscreen in conditions that render it invisible. The effect was specific to language and did not depend on visual preview or pre-experiment familiarity with the target.
A new drug called ADAC has been found to restore hearing in rats with noise-induced hearing loss. Early treatment with multiple injections of ADAC significantly attenuated noise-induced hearing loss and improved sensory hair cell survival.
Researchers developed a new cochlear implant with more electrodes and a thinner, more flexible wire, which can improve the quality of sound and preserve residual hearing. This innovation allows for more precise stimulation of the auditory nerve, resulting in better sound resolution.
Researchers found significant changes in hearing sensitivity after exposure to MP3 player noise, suggesting potential long-term risks. The study suggests that portable media players may be harmful to young adults' hearing.
Researchers at Tufts University have identified a hormone-like signaling system in the ear that helps protect against noise-induced hearing loss. The system, which mirrors the body's fight-or-flight response, works at lower intensity sounds than previously thought.
A study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine found that early cochlear implantation dramatically improves deaf children's language development. Children who received implants before 18 months caught up with their normal-hearing counterparts over three years.
Research debunks claims of a link between music and dyslexia, finding no correlation between musical skill and phonological processing; music therapy is unwarranted as a treatment for the condition.
Research reveals that temporary hearing deprivation during childhood can cause persistent hearing deficits, similar to amblyopia. The auditory cortex's vulnerability to lack of stimulation during critical periods suggests a similar problem exists in the realm of hearing, leading to 'lazy ear.'
A University of Oregon team has isolated an independent channel in the brain's auditory cortex that deals specifically with shutting off sound processing at appropriate times. This finding supports an emerging theory that a separate set of synapses is responsible for both processing sounds and their disappearance.
Researchers have found that young squeaker catfish can detect sounds made by their older relatives, challenging prior assumptions about auditory development. The study suggests that fish of all ages use the 'squeaking' sound to communicate, increasing in level and duration as they grow.
Research by University of Alberta's Bill Hodgetts found that exercising in gyms often leads to increased volume levels, potentially causing hearing loss. The solution lies in using earphones with earplugs or sealant materials to reduce background noise and protect auditory health.
Children with bilateral cochlear implants exhibit poor initial voice control but show significant improvement as they use their hearing aids for extended periods. Targeted speech therapies could help address these voice abnormalities.
The Math1 gene controls the framework for perceiving external and internal body parts, including proprioception, interoception, hearing, balance, and arousal. This discovery has implications for understanding automatic movement and responses to internal and external stimuli.
A new study reveals how our brains fill in gaps to create continuous sound by suppressing slow brain waves during interruptions. This mechanism enhances our understanding of human hearing and may inspire future devices for people with hearing deficits.
Researchers use X-ray scanners and advanced computing to create detailed replicas of a whale's hearing anatomy. The study suggests mid-frequency sonar sounds are largely filtered, while higher frequencies used by whales for hunting are amplified.
A mathematical model explains how male mosquitoes can hear the faintest beats of a female's wings while resisting loud noises. The model reveals that scolopidia located toward the tip of Johnston's organ contribute to mechanical amplification.
Researchers created a new strain of mice with outstanding hearing as they age, studying the phenomenon known as golden ears. The study offers clues about maintaining good hearing while aging and provides a new tool to explore protective factors that allow some organisms to retain their hearing for their whole lives.
Experts are conducting a large-scale study to measure the hearing of people with HIV/AIDS and compare it to those without, aiming to uncover the relationship between the disease and hearing loss. The research, supported by a $1.9 million grant, will also explore potential factors contributing to age-related hearing loss in these patients.
Researchers at the University of Bristol have discovered a unique structure in the ear of the Blue Morpho butterfly, which may allow it to distinguish between high and low pitch sounds. The membrane's properties suggest that butterflies can hear lower pitches more sensitively than other insects.
A new species of mammal, Maotherium asiaticus, has been discovered in China, providing insight into the evolution of the mammalian middle ear. The fossil's ear structure shows a unique connection to the lower jaw, similar to embryonic mammals and pre-mammalian ancestors.