by Kristin Samuelson, Northwestern University Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain As Chicagoans await the emergence of the cicadas, parents of children on the autism spectrum and/or who have sensitivities to sound can take a few steps to prepare for what is expected to be a loud summer. “Some children on the spectrum can struggle with loud...
Tag: <span>Noise</span>
Post
Study shows certain brain waves aren’t just background noise
by Laurel Hamers, University of Oregon Credit: CC0 Public Domain Even when at rest, the brain is never truly quiet. New research in mice sheds light on the seemingly random brain signals that hum in the background of brains. These signals might help the brain switch between states of inattention or disengagement and states of optimal performance, UO...
Post
How the ‘noise’ in our brain influences our behavior
by Max Planck Society Neural variability may provide a unique window into brain function. Credit: NomeVisualizzato & Cassidy Dickens, CC0 The brain’s neural activity is irregular, changing from one moment to the next. To date, this apparent “noise” has been thought to be due to random natural variations or measurement error. However, researchers at the Max Planck Institute...
Post
High blood pressure: Could noise be a risk factor?
By Tim Newman Fact checked by Isabel Godfrey A recent study investigated the relationship between occupational noise-induced hearing loss and blood pressure. The authors conclude that chronic noise exposure increases the risk of hypertension. According to the new paper, globally, more than 600 million people have jobs that expose them to hazardous noise levels. This...
Post
A quarter of adults in the U.S. have hearing loss because of noise
Forty million American adults have lost some hearing because of noise, and half of them suffered the damage outside the workplace, from everyday exposure to leaf blowers, sirens, rock concerts and other loud sounds, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday. A quarter of people ages 20 to 69 were suffering some hearing deficits,...