How Noise Changes the Way the Brain Gets Information

New research indicates that auditory cells not only react to noise levels, but rearrange themselves and function differently in order to adapt to their environment for optimal sound perception. Researchers from the University of Buffalo and John Hopkins University School of Medicine reported in the journal Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that scanning of mice who were adapted to different noise environments revealed physical adaptations to the environment. The animals who were exposed to higher ambient noise levels displayed auditory nerves that were more frugally operative, effectively shielding the nerves from potential damage. Once relocated to a quiet habitat, the auditory cells released neurotransmitters normally and were quickly indistinguishable from mice that had not been kept in the louder environment. “The brain is amazingly adaptable: The way it receives information can change to accommodate for different conditions, and this is what we see in our research,” said the lead researcher of the study. “What we see is that the cells in the auditory nerve adjust. They change themselves so they can respond to a different, heightened level of activity.” To learn more about this study, click here.