Auditory discomfort and visual sensitivity

Abstract

The field of visual discomfort is fast growing, identifying parameters of visual stimuli that evoke discomfort, their effect on the visual system, and their heightened impact in clinical populations. In contrast, there is little work on auditory discomfort. First, we reviewed the current findings in the field of auditory discomfort and report a preliminary study investigating the effects of uncomfortable sounds on near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) responses from auditory cortex. Nine participants listened to pure 1 kHz tones that were modulated by a 2 Hz or a 16 Hz sinusoidal wave that made the tone sound as though it wobbled. The oxyhaemoglobin response to the uncomfortable 16 Hz sound was larger and slower compared to the relatively more comfortable 2 Hz sound. This suggests cortical excitability to uncomfortable sounds, similar to the heightened response reported in the visual modality. Second, we assessed the relationship between visual and auditory sensitivity in a large sample (N = 669) of participants who completed the Pattern Glare Test (PGT), the Amsterdam Misophonia Scale, the Hyperacusis Questionnaire, and the Functional Hearing Questionnaire (FHQ). While all measures of auditory sensitivity were significantly correlated with the number of illusions seen in the PGT (.1 > r_s < 0.3), the relationship with misophonia was significantly weaker than other comparisons. This highlights that while those who are visually sensitive are more likely to exhibit increased auditory sensitivity, the measures that focus on pain (PGT, hyperacusis, FHQ) may be dissociable from those that rely on emotive discomfort (misophonia). Together, this suggests similar mechanisms underlying auditory and visual discomfort.