Summary: A new study shows that unexpected sounds can cause dopamine bursts in the brain, which may lead to riskier decision-making. Researchers found that participants were 4% more likely to…
Category: Auditory Neuroscience
Manipulating Brain Waves During Sleep With Sound
Summary: Sound stimulation can manipulate brain waves during REM sleep, a stage crucial for memory and cognition. Using advanced technology, researchers were able to increase the frequency of brain oscillations…
Pitch Perfect: Singing Earworms Reveals Surprising Trait
Summary: Researchers discovered that nearly 45% of people sing earworms in perfect pitch, suggesting a hidden “perfect pitch” ability in the general population. Even without formal musical training, participants accurately…
Classical Music Synchronizes Brain Waves, Improving Depression
Summary: Western classical music can significantly affect brain activity, particularly in people with treatment-resistant depression. By measuring brainwaves and neural imaging, scientists discovered that music synchronizes neural oscillations between brain…
Childhood Vision Loss Affects Sound Distance Judgement
Summary: New research reveals that individuals who experience vision loss before age 10 struggle more with judging sound distance compared to those who lose sight later in life. This difficulty…
Supranormal Hearing Achieved by Boosting Ear Synapses
Summary: Researchers have enhanced auditory processing in young mice by increasing inner ear synapses using neurotrophin-3. This study supports the hypothesis that synapse density impacts hidden hearing loss in humans.…
Imperfect Harmony: Rethinking Pythagoras’ Musical Consonance
Summary: New research challenges Pythagoras’s ancient theory on musical consonance, revealing our preference for slight imperfections in chords rather than the perfect integer ratios traditionally associated with beautiful music. The…
Loud Play, Silent Risk: Video Gaming’s Link to Hearing Loss
Summary: A systematic review indicates a potential risk of irreversible hearing loss and tinnitus among video gamers due to high sound levels. The study, encompassing over 50,000 individuals, found that…
Binaural Beats Boost Language Skills
Summary: Researchers conducted a new study exploring the effects of binaural beats (BB) on language comprehension. This study used electroencephalography (EEG) to examine how BB stimulation at beta and gamma…
Unlocking Sound: Common Supplement Might Combat Age-Related Hearing Loss
Summary: Researchers discovered a link between age-related hearing loss and decreased cholesterol in the inner ear. This cholesterol reduction affects the outer hair cells (OHCs), which are essential for amplifying…
