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British Journal of Hospital Medicine... Sep 2019Noise-induced hearing loss is sensory deafness caused by long-term exposure of the auditory system to a noisy environment. Auditory fatigue is an early symptom of... (Review)
Review
Noise-induced hearing loss is sensory deafness caused by long-term exposure of the auditory system to a noisy environment. Auditory fatigue is an early symptom of noise-induced hearing loss, and hearing can gradually recover after people leave a noisy environment. However, if people remain in a noisy environment for a prolonged period of time, their hearing will be permanently impaired. Societal changes mean that people are more likely to be exposed to noise. The hearing loss and tinnitus caused by noise seriously affect people's quality of life and lead to huge economic loss. The pathogenesis of noise-induced hearing loss is complex. Various theories try to explain this, such as the oxidative stress theory, but none perfectly explains the occurrence of noise-induced hearing loss. There is no treatment which can completely reverse the damage. More research is required to explore the pathogenesis and to better guide clinical practice. Preventative strategies, such as educating the public about hearing health, should be adopted to reduce the harm of noise-induced hearing loss.
Topics: Calcium; Cochlea; Health Education; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced; Humans; Oxidative Stress; Potassium
PubMed: 31498679
DOI: 10.12968/hmed.2019.80.9.525 -
Hearing Research Jun 2017Exposure to intense sound or noise can result in purely temporary threshold shift (TTS), or leave a residual permanent threshold shift (PTS) along with alterations in...
Exposure to intense sound or noise can result in purely temporary threshold shift (TTS), or leave a residual permanent threshold shift (PTS) along with alterations in growth functions of auditory nerve output. Recent research has revealed a number of mechanisms that contribute to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The principle cause of NIHL is damage to cochlear hair cells and associated synaptopathy. Contributions to TTS include reversible damage to hair cell (HC) stereocilia or synapses, while moderate TTS reflects protective purinergic hearing adaptation. PTS represents permanent damage to or loss of HCs and synapses. While the substrates of HC damage are complex, they include the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and the active stimulation of intracellular stress pathways, leading to programmed and/or necrotic cell death. Permanent damage to cochlear neurons can also contribute to the effects of NIHL, in addition to HC damage. These mechanisms have translational potential for pharmacological intervention and provide multiple opportunities to prevent HC damage or to rescue HCs and spiral ganglion neurons that have suffered injury. This paper reviews advances in our understanding of cellular mechanisms that contribute to NIHL and their potential for therapeutic manipulation.
Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Auditory Fatigue; Calcium Signaling; Hair Cells, Auditory; Hearing; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced; Humans; Necrosis; Noise; Oxidative Stress
PubMed: 27916698
DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2016.11.013 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia Oct 2023Auditory roughness in medical alarm sounds is an important design attribute, and has been shown to impact user performance and perception. While roughness can assist in...
Auditory roughness in medical alarm sounds is an important design attribute, and has been shown to impact user performance and perception. While roughness can assist in decreased signal-to-noise ratios (perceived loudness) and communicate urgency, it might also impact patient recovery. Therefore, considerations of neuroscience correlates, music theory, and patient impact are critical aspects to investigate in order to optimise alarm design.
Topics: Humans; Sound; Clinical Alarms; Monitoring, Physiologic
PubMed: 37537119
DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2023.07.003 -
Acta Otorrinolaringologica Espanola 2015Given the relevance of possible hearing losses due to sound overloads and the short list of references of objective procedures for their study, we provide a technique...
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES
Given the relevance of possible hearing losses due to sound overloads and the short list of references of objective procedures for their study, we provide a technique that gives precise data about the audiometric profile and recruitment factor. Our objectives were to determine peripheral fatigue, through the cochlear microphonic response to sound pressure overload stimuli, as well as to measure recovery time, establishing parameters for differentiation with regard to current psychoacoustic and clinical studies.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
We used specific instruments for the study of cochlear microphonic response, plus a function generator that provided us with stimuli of different intensities and harmonic components. In Wistar rats, we first measured the normal microphonic response and then the effect of auditory fatigue on it.
RESULTS
Using a 60dB pure tone acoustic stimulation, we obtained a microphonic response at 20dB. We then caused fatigue with 100dB of the same frequency, reaching a loss of approximately 11dB after 15minutes; after that, the deterioration slowed and did not exceed 15dB. By means of complex random tone maskers or white noise, no fatigue was caused to the sensory receptors, not even at levels of 100dB and over an hour of overstimulation.
CONCLUSIONS
No fatigue was observed in terms of sensory receptors. Deterioration of peripheral perception through intense overstimulation may be due to biochemical changes of desensitisation due to exhaustion. Auditory fatigue in subjective clinical trials presumably affects supracochlear sections. The auditory fatigue tests found are not in line with those obtained subjectively in clinical and psychoacoustic trials.
Topics: Acoustic Stimulation; Animals; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Auditory Fatigue; Cochlear Microphonic Potentials; Equipment Design; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer; Noise; Rats; Rats, Wistar
PubMed: 25109540
DOI: 10.1016/j.otorri.2014.05.004 -
Presse Medicale (Paris, France : 1983) Jun 2021Patients with multiple sclerosis, despite advances in therapy, often suffer from locomotor impairment that limits their mobility and affect quality of life.... (Review)
Review
Patients with multiple sclerosis, despite advances in therapy, often suffer from locomotor impairment that limits their mobility and affect quality of life. Rehabilitation is part of the treatment of MS and has shown its beneficial effects in numerous studies. While traditional rehabilitation techniques remain in the limelight, new technologies are emerging and make it possible to improve the management of disabling symptoms. The aim of this update is to synthesize the new therapy techniques proposed in rehabilitation for patients with multiple sclerosis according to the symptoms as balance, gait, upper limb disorders, fatigue, spasticity and disease progression published over the past 5 years. With regard to balance and walking disorders, neuromotor rehabilitation, physical exercise, rhythmic auditory stimulation, gait robot training and exergaming are effective. Only physical exercise has shown a positive effect on fatigue management. Spasticity is improved by classic rehabilitation techniques however non-invasive brain stimulation are promising. The rehabilitation of upper limb dysfunctions uses various effective techniques such as the repetition of functional tasks in real or virtual situations. In case of a more severe disability, arm robots can be used to relearn the impaired movement. Action observation training in real or virtual situations is also effective. Finally, under certain conditions the constraint induced movement therapy is proposed. The effects of rehabilitation are not only positive on the pyramidal symptoms and fatigue but also increase neuroplasticity and perhaps a neuroprotective effect as shown in some studies.
Topics: Acoustic Stimulation; Circuit-Based Exercise; Disease Progression; Electric Stimulation Therapy; Exergaming; Exoskeleton Device; Fatigue; Gait; Humans; Mobility Limitation; Multiple Sclerosis; Muscle Spasticity; Observational Studies as Topic; Physical Conditioning, Human; Postural Balance; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sensation Disorders; Upper Extremity
PubMed: 33989721
DOI: 10.1016/j.lpm.2021.104066 -
The Journal of the Acoustical Society... Mar 2024Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were measured at 57 kHz in two dolphins warned of an impending intense tone at 40 kHz. Over the course of testing, the duration of...
Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were measured at 57 kHz in two dolphins warned of an impending intense tone at 40 kHz. Over the course of testing, the duration of the intense tone was increased from 0.5 to 16 s to determine if changes in ABRs observed after cessation of the intense sound were the result of post-stimulatory auditory fatigue or conditioned hearing attenuation. One dolphin exhibited conditioned hearing attenuation after the warning sound preceding the intense sound, but little evidence of post-stimulatory fatigue after the intense sound. The second dolphin showed no conditioned attenuation before the intense sound, but auditory fatigue afterwards. The fatigue was observed within a few seconds after cessation of the intense tone: i.e., at time scales much shorter than those in previous studies of marine mammal noise-induced threshold shifts, which feature measurements on the order of a few minutes after exposure. The differences observed between the two individuals (less auditory fatigue in the dolphin that exhibited the conditioned attenuation) support the hypothesis that conditioned attenuation is a form of "self-mitigation."
Topics: Animals; Auditory Fatigue; Dolphins; Hearing; Sound
PubMed: 38535629
DOI: 10.1121/10.0025387 -
Trends in Hearing 2022Most human auditory psychophysics research has historically been conducted in carefully controlled environments with calibrated audio equipment, and over potentially...
Most human auditory psychophysics research has historically been conducted in carefully controlled environments with calibrated audio equipment, and over potentially hours of repetitive testing with expert listeners. Here, we operationally define such conditions as having high 'auditory hygiene'. From this perspective, conducting auditory psychophysical paradigms online presents a serious challenge, in that results may hinge on absolute sound presentation level, reliably estimated perceptual thresholds, low and controlled background noise levels, and sustained motivation and attention. We introduce a set of procedures that address these challenges and facilitate auditory hygiene for online auditory psychophysics. First, we establish a simple means of setting sound presentation levels. Across a set of four level-setting conditions conducted in person, we demonstrate the stability and robustness of this level setting procedure in open air and controlled settings. Second, we test participants' tone-in-noise thresholds using widely adopted online experiment platforms and demonstrate that reliable threshold estimates can be derived online in approximately one minute of testing. Third, using these level and threshold setting procedures to establish participant-specific stimulus conditions, we show that an online implementation of the classic probe-signal paradigm can be used to demonstrate frequency-selective attention on an individual-participant basis, using a third of the trials used in recent in-lab experiments. Finally, we show how threshold and attentional measures relate to well-validated assays of online participants' in-task motivation, fatigue, and confidence. This demonstrates the promise of online auditory psychophysics for addressing new auditory perception and neuroscience questions quickly, efficiently, and with more diverse samples. Code for the tests is publicly available through Pavlovia and Gorilla.
Topics: Auditory Perception; Auditory Threshold; Humans; Noise; Psychophysics
PubMed: 36131515
DOI: 10.1177/23312165221118792 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2021Hyperfunctional voice disorders (HVDs) are the most common class of voice disorders, consisting of diagnoses such as vocal fold nodules and muscle tension dysphonia....
Hyperfunctional voice disorders (HVDs) are the most common class of voice disorders, consisting of diagnoses such as vocal fold nodules and muscle tension dysphonia. These speech production disorders result in effort, fatigue, pain, and even complete loss of voice. The mechanisms underlying HVDs are largely unknown. Here, the auditory-motor control of voice fundamental frequency (f) was examined in 62 speakers with and 62 speakers without HVDs. Due to the high prevalence of HVDs in singers, and the known impacts of singing experience on auditory-motor function, groups were matched for singing experience. Speakers completed three tasks, yielding: (1) auditory discrimination of voice f; (2) reflexive responses to sudden f shifts; and (3) adaptive responses to sustained f shifts. Compared to controls, and regardless of singing experience, individuals with HVDs showed: (1) worse auditory discrimination; (2) comparable reflexive responses; and (3) a greater frequency of atypical adaptive responses. Atypical adaptive responses were associated with poorer auditory discrimination, directly implicating auditory function in this motor disorder. These findings motivate a paradigm shift for understanding development and treatment of HVDs.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Auditory Perception; Case-Control Studies; Discrimination, Psychological; Dysphonia; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Motor Disorders; Singing; Voice Disorders; Young Adult
PubMed: 34162907
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92250-8 -
Journal of Clinical Monitoring and... Aug 2019Hospital noise levels regularly exceed those recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is uncertain whether high noise levels have adverse effects on... (Review)
Review
Hospital noise levels regularly exceed those recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is uncertain whether high noise levels have adverse effects on patient health. High levels of noise increase patient sleep loss, anxiety levels, length of hospital stay, and morbidity rates. Staff conversation and auditory medical alarms are amongst the leading noise producing stimuli, with combinations of stimuli accounting for much of the high noise levels. The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey shows a slight improvement in overall hospital noise levels in the United States, indicating a minor reduction in noise levels. Alarm ambiguity, alarm masking and inefficient alarm design contributes to a large portion of sounds that exceed the environmental noise level in the hospital. Improving the hospital soundscape can begin by training staff in noise reduction, enforcing noise reduction programs, reworking alarm design and encouraging research to evaluate the relative effects of noise producing stimuli on the hospital soundscape.
Topics: Anxiety; Auditory Fatigue; Auditory Perception; Auditory Threshold; Clinical Alarms; Hearing; Hospitals; Humans; Intensive Care Units; Monitoring, Physiologic; Noise; Patient Safety; Patients' Rooms; Perceptual Masking; Quality Improvement; Sleep; United States
PubMed: 30390171
DOI: 10.1007/s10877-018-0215-3 -
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services... Jan 2020Purpose Listening-related fatigue is an understudied construct that may contribute to the auditory, educational, and psychosocial problems experienced by children with... (Review)
Review
Purpose Listening-related fatigue is an understudied construct that may contribute to the auditory, educational, and psychosocial problems experienced by children with unilateral hearing loss (UHL). Herein, we present an overview of listening-related fatigue in school-age children with hearing loss (CHL), with a focus on children with UHL. Method Following a review of research examining listening-related fatigue in adults and CHL, we present preliminary findings exploring the effects of unilateral and bilateral hearing loss on listening-related fatigue in children. For these exploratory analyses, we used data collected from our ongoing work developing and validating a tool, the Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale, for measuring listening-related fatigue in children. Presently, we are assessing 3 versions of the fatigue scale-child self-report, parent proxy, and teacher proxy. Using these scales, data have been collected from more than 900 participants. Data from children with unilateral and bilateral hearing loss and for children with no hearing loss are compared with adult Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale data. Results Results of our literature review and exploratory analyses suggest that adults and CHL are at increased risk for listening-related fatigue. Importantly, this increased risk was similar in magnitude regardless of whether the loss was unilateral or bilateral. Subjective ratings, based on child self-report and parent proxy report, were consistent, suggesting that children with unilateral and bilateral hearing loss experienced greater listening-related fatigue than children with no hearing loss. In contrast, results based on teacher proxy report were not sensitive to the effects of hearing loss. Conclusions Children with UHL are at increased risk for listening-related fatigue, and the magnitude of fatigue is similar to that experienced by children with bilateral hearing loss. Problems of listening-related fatigue in school-age CHL may be better identified by CHL themselves and their parents than by teachers and specialists working with the children.
Topics: Adolescent; Auditory Perception; Child; Fatigue; Female; Hearing Loss, Bilateral; Hearing Loss, Unilateral; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Speech Perception
PubMed: 31913803
DOI: 10.1044/2019_LSHSS-OCHL-19-0017