Articles tagged with Auditory Perception
Researchers found that prestin, a key hearing gene, has evolved independently to play a critical role in echolocation of bats and dolphins. The protein enables these animals to navigate through murky waters or find food in the dark using high-frequency sound waves.
People with tinnitus process emotions differently in the brain from those with normal hearing, according to a study led by University of Illinois professor Fatima Husain. The study found that patients with tinnitus showed more activity in two brain regions associated with emotion, while having lower activity in the amygdala.
A specific protein, protocadherin-15 CD2, is crucial for hearing by forming tip-links that convert sound into electrical signals. The absence of this protein leads to profound deafness in mice and humans, providing a major breakthrough in understanding the auditory mechanotransduction machinery.
Researchers at Northwestern University discovered that toddlers can successfully learn novel verbs after hearing them only twice, as long as the verb is 'packaged' in a complete sentence. The study showed that presenting verbs in sentences with familiar nouns supports toddlers' abilities to apply the new words in novel contexts.
Dr. Ingrid Johnsrude's research reveals that brain regions beyond primary auditory cortex play a crucial role in understanding speech, especially in noisy environments. The study also highlights the critical role of attention and prior knowledge in facilitating comprehension.
Indiana University researchers identified a pattern of cognitive risks in children with cochlear implants, particularly in working memory, controlled attention, and planning. About 30-45% of children with cochlear implants showed delays in these areas, compared to 15% or less in normally hearing children.
A new study reveals that the brain learns to hear by decoding rhythmic bursts of electrical activity from cells in the inner ear. The research suggests that abnormal rhythms may contribute to Central Auditory-Processing Disorders, which affect speech and language development in children.
A large study found that sleep apnea is independently associated with high and low frequency hearing impairment. The study analyzed data from nearly 14,000 individuals and found that sleep apnea was linked to a 31% increase in high frequency hearing impairment and a 90% increase in low frequency hearing impairment.
Researchers tested the hearing of seven Bristol Bay beluga whales, finding surprisingly little variation in their abilities. The study provides a baseline for the population's health and may inform conservation efforts and validate studies of hearing in captivity.
Research published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine found professional musicians are almost four times as likely to develop noise-induced hearing loss and 57% more likely to experience tinnitus. Repeated exposure to loud music can lead to permanent damage, emphasizing the need for protective measures.
A six-year study of 400 individuals aged 80-98 found that those with hearing loss became less outgoing, while emotional stability remained constant. The researchers attribute this change to a decrease in social interaction quality, which can affect relationships and overall wellbeing.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that DNA therapy can preserve inner ear nerve cells in humans with certain types of progressive hearing loss. The study uses a protein growth factor to block degeneration and has important implications for enhancing sound perception with cochlear implants.
Researchers estimate that humans can distinguish between more than 1 trillion odor mixtures, far exceeding the previously accepted number of 10,000. The study suggests that humans' sense of smell is more sensitive than previously thought, but often underutilized.
Researchers at MIT discovered that tiny pores in the inner ear membrane filter sound frequencies, allowing humans to differentiate between competing sounds. The optimal pore size determines hearing sensitivity, with smaller or larger pores impairing hearing.
A recent study by the University of Manchester found that only 2.1% of adults with significant hearing problems use a hearing aid. The study revealed that approximately one in 10 middle-aged adults have substantial hearing difficulties, particularly those from working-class or ethnic minority backgrounds.
Researchers at WashU Medicine are studying asymmetric hearing loss, which affects communication difficulties beyond mild disability. They aim to understand brain reorganization and develop new treatments to restore hearing in adults and children with one ear deaf and the other ear partially or fully hearing.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified a biological circadian clock in the cochlea that controls how well hearing damage heals. The discovery may lead to new treatment methods for hearing loss affecting up to 15% of the population.
A new study will explore the connection between dopamine, a 'feel-good' brain chemical, and hearing loss. The research aims to develop better therapies for people with communication disorders, including those with Parkinson's disease. The $1.6 million grant will fund a team led by Christine Portfors at Washington State University.
Researchers found that spotted seals have remarkably sensitive hearing in both air and water, detecting airborne sounds as well as terrestrial carnivores. In water, they hear almost as well as fully aquatic species like dolphins and porpoises, with a range of seven octaves.
Neuroscientists discovered that minimizing vision for a week can enhance the brain's processing of sound. This finding may help those experiencing hearing loss regain more use of their sense. The study suggests that certain neural connections in the brain can be reactivated to support lagging senses.
Researchers at the University of Maryland found that adult mice experienced improved hearing after simulated blindness, which could lead to new treatments for hearing loss and tinnitus. The study showed that temporary vision loss can rewire the brain's auditory system in adults, allowing for sharper sound discrimination and sensitivity.
Carnegie Mellon University researchers Roberta Klatzky and J. David Creswell develop a new sensory integration model to explain the mechanisms underlying unconscious priming, which affects how we think and behave in social contexts. The model provides a clearer understanding of when and why primes influence behavior.
A study by Johns Hopkins researchers found that hearing loss accelerates brain tissue loss, particularly in regions processing sound and speech. This link highlights the importance of treating hearing loss early to reduce associated health risks.
A systematic review of 40 studies found that ear tube surgery has no significant impact on hearing, speech, or other functional outcomes beyond a short period. Adenoidectomy also showed limited benefits in reducing time with ear infections and improving hearing up to two years.
Researchers measured sound levels at a Formula 1 track and found that without protection, spectators could reach 234% or 85.85 dB of their daily allowed noise dosage going by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. The study suggests wearing good hearing protection is essential to avoid permanent damage.
A new Stanford study overturns the long-held theory on how humans perceive sound, challenging the 30-year-old model of adaptation. The research found that calcium is not necessary for adaptation in mammalian auditory hair cells, opening up new avenues for understanding and potentially treating hearing loss.
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a potential breakthrough in solving the 'cocktail party problem' by using neural networks to filter out background noise. The technology improves comprehension for the hearing-impaired, with scores increasing from 10% to 90%, and is being commercialized for license.
Scientists studied Yangtze finless porpoise hearing using medical technology to understand impact of constant shipping and construction on their critical sense of hearing. The research revealed variations in hearing sensitivity among different species, with implications for effective management strategies.
A study published in Nature Communications found that brief, reversible hearing loss during childhood can disrupt the processing of sound in the brain, leading to persistent hearing deficits. Researchers identified two critical periods after hearing onset that regulate how sounds from each ear are fused into a coherent representation.
A new study found that between 11% and 22% of French horn players showed some form of hearing loss typical of NIHL. The study highlights the need for effective strategies to prevent noise-induced hearing loss among professional orchestral musicians.
A Northwestern University study of over 100 high school students found a significant link between music, beat-keeping and language skills. Accurate beat-keeping involves synchronization between the parts of the brain responsible for hearing and movement.
Researchers at the University of Iowa used fruit flies to study hearing loss caused by loud noise. The study found that the molecular underpinnings of hearing loss in fruit flies are similar to those in humans.
A 60-year-old woman with hearing impairment experiences unusual music hallucinations that are familiar to her husband but not herself. The case raises intriguing questions about the nature of memory and forgetting.
Moths hear at 80 kHz to detect bats, but this ability also leads to unnecessary sound impressions and energy waste. Researchers found that moths' eardrums are more sensitive than small insects', allowing them to survive in environments with high-frequency bat calls.
A patient who suffered a stroke developed synesthesia, a neurological condition where people experience multiple senses at the same time. The patient's brain activity showed targeted and specific responses to certain stimuli, suggesting that his synesthesia was caused by cross-wiring in his brain after the injury.
A new study published in eLife reveals how our brains track frequency and time to distinguish important sounds from background noise. The findings suggest that both pitch and timing are crucial for sound pattern recognition, shedding light on a fundamental brain mechanism for detecting sound patterns.
A study by University of Illinois economist Peter Goldsmith highlights the need for better communication between the livestock industry and local communities. The research found that more effective communication can help reconcile important issues and build common experiences, leading to a more factual conversation.
Researchers at Kansas State University have successfully restored hearing and balance in mice with a genetic mutation that causes hereditary deafness. The study, published in PLOS Genetics, uses a targeted approach to rescue hearing and balance by restoring pendrin expression in the endolymphatic sac. This finding has significant impli...
A new study by Mark Scott suggests that corollary discharge, a predictive brain signal, plays a crucial role in our experiences of internal speech. The findings indicate that the internal copy of our voice produced by corollary discharge can be generated even without external sound, making us believe we hear ourselves speak.
A University of Missouri researcher has developed an intervention to help adults with hearing impairments acclimate to hearing aids. The intervention aims to reduce the stigma associated with wearing hearing aids and increase their use among this population.
Moths have developed ears sensitive to bat echolocation cries as a defense mechanism, but also use their hearing and avoidance behavior to communicate sexually. Researchers found that different moth species employ varying methods to court females with sound.
Researchers found that fine emotional learning tasks produce greater learning specificity in mice, improving pitch discrimination abilities. The study established a link between emotions and perception of the world, with effects mediated by brain regions including the amygdala and auditory cortex.
A study from Karolinska Institutet found that our imagination can affect how we experience the world, changing our actual perception. The research used illusions to test the impact of mental imagery on sensory perception.
A recent study published by The Laryngoscope journal found that obesity is associated with sensorineural hearing loss across all frequencies in adolescents, with almost twice the likelihood of unilateral low-frequency hearing loss compared to non-obese teens.
A team of NIH-supported researchers has identified a two-step process that occurs during the growth and regeneration of inner ear tip links. The discovery provides a possible mechanism for potential interventions that could preserve hearing in individuals with genetic disorders related to tip link dysfunction.
Researchers discovered that people with absolute pitch can be misled by gradual changes in pitch while listening to music. The study, led by Stephen Hedger and Howard Nusbaum, found that exposure to detuned music affects how individuals identify notes as being in or out of tune.
Adults with hearing loss are more likely to experience cardiovascular risk factors, have a history of hospitalization, and report poorer physical and mental health. The study found significant associations between hearing loss and various health outcomes, highlighting the need for further research into the basis of these observed assoc...
Researchers have discovered a novel genetic mutation in the SERPINB6 gene that causes malfunction of an inhibitor enzyme, leading to accelerated hearing loss. In humans, individuals with this mutation typically lose their hearing from 20 years of age, while mice with the condition start losing their hearing at three weeks old.
A team of researchers has created a new type of microphone modeled on the sensitive ears of a parasitic fly, achieving better acoustical performance than what is currently available in hearing aids. The design uses a microelectromechanical microphone with active Q control and optical sensing, reducing noise floor by 17 decibels.
Researchers discovered that blind individuals can utilize echolocation skills similar to bats and dolphins to pinpoint object locations. The study also showed that high-frequency sounds (above 2 kHz) are crucial for effective performance.
A new study shows that bilinguals who learn two languages early in life have separate processing modes or sound systems for each language. The research found that participants perceived 'ba' and 'pa' sounds differently depending on the context, with a shift in perception when switching between languages.
Research found distinct brain connectivity patterns for joyous, taunting and tickling laughter, with regions sensitive to social information activated differently. This study sheds light on the neural mechanisms underlying laughter perception and its implications for cognitive function.
Researchers will showcase advancements in sound technology, including virtual acoustic environments, novel microphone designs, and innovative methods for monitoring oil spills. The event aims to bring together experts from physics, engineering, and medicine to share their latest discoveries.
Scientists discovered that the body's adaptation mechanism allows the cochlea to perform normally when exposed to noise stress. Constant exposure to loud noise can cause irreversible damage to high frequency hearing.
The study reveals that the efferent system plays a crucial role in mitigating cochlear neuropathy caused by moderate noise exposure. Researchers demonstrated that individuals with healthy efferent systems are less susceptible to difficulty hearing in noisy environments.
Researchers found a case of rapid hearing loss in a patient with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, highlighting the need for clinicians to consider CJD when diagnosing patients with fast-progressing hearing impairment.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have developed a new, nonsurgical process to fine-tune and customize cochlear implant programming, providing improved sound quality and spectral resolution. This image-guided strategy uses pre- and postoperative CT scans to pinpoint electrode locations and optimize signal transmission.
A study published by Henry Ford Hospital found that resveratrol can reduce noise-induced hearing loss and cognitive decline in rats. The researchers discovered that resveratrol inhibits the inflammatory process and oxidative stress caused by loud noise, providing protection against age-related hearing and cognitive impairment.
A new report shows a 50% increase in speech comprehension in background noise after a three-week auditory training program for children with hearing impairments. The effect was still evident three months later, indicating the development of new hearing and listening strategies.
A new study at UT Dallas is investigating whether hearing aids can improve balance and prevent falls in people with hearing impairments. The research project aims to identify individuals at risk of falling and evaluate the effects of different hearing aid technologies on balance and gait.