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Pump up the volume: could excessive neural gain explain tinnitus and hyperacusis?
Hannah Brotherton1, Christopher J Plack, Michael Maslin
1School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Audiology & Neuro-Otology
|July 4, 2015
Summary
Sensory systems adapt their sensitivity by adjusting neural gain. Understanding neural gain changes in the auditory system is key to developing effective treatments for tinnitus and sound intolerance.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Sensory Physiology
Background:
- Sensory neurons must adapt to stimuli varying over many orders of magnitude.
- Neural gain adaptation adjusts sensitivity, with slow processes observed after sensory deprivation or overstimulation.
- Abnormal neural gain in the auditory system can lead to tinnitus and sound intolerance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence for neural gain changes in animal auditory systems.
- To examine physiological and perceptual changes in humans after altered acoustic exposure.
- To explore the role of excessive neural gain in tinnitus and hyperacusis and its clinical relevance.
Main Methods:
- Review of animal studies on auditory neural gain.
- Analysis of human listener data following acoustic stimulation/deprivation.
- Examination of physiological data from tinnitus and hyperacusis patients.
Main Results:
- Evidence supports neural gain alterations in animal auditory systems.
- Human listeners show physiological and perceptual shifts after acoustic challenges.
- Patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis exhibit signs of excessive neural gain.
Conclusions:
- Neural gain is a critical factor in auditory processing and perception.
- Understanding neural gain mechanisms offers potential therapeutic targets for tinnitus and hyperacusis.
- Further research into neural gain is vital for improving treatments for aberrant auditory perceptions.
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