Hearing sensitivity isn't uniform; it changes throughout life and varies between people. While age is a known factor, new research digs deeper into our biology and surroundings, uncovering significant differences. This global study sheds light on how sex and the environment shape what we hear.
Why it matters
Understanding how biological sex and various environmental factors influence hearing sensitivity is essential for gaining a more precise understanding of hearing variation, hearing loss, noise tolerance, and treatments.
- According to a study published in Scientific Reports, sex is the single biggest factor explaining differences in hearing sensitivity.
- Across all 13 diverse populations tested, women consistently showed significantly more sensitive hearing than men, averaging about two decibels higher.
- This finding accounted for most of the variation seen between individuals.
The context
With hearing problems rising worldwide, understanding all contributing factors is crucial. Age-related decline and noise damage are known risks, but less research exists on influences like sex, ear side, language, ethnicity, or local environment.
- To fill this gap, a team led by Dr. Patricia Balaresque (CRBE, France) and Professor Turi King (University of Bath, UK) tested 450 individuals across locations in Ecuador, England, Gabon, South Africa, and Uzbekistan.
- They intentionally chose populations to include a wide range of ecological and cultural contexts, featuring underrepresented rural and non-European groups.
How it works
The researchers investigated cochlear sensitivity by measuring Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE). This technique assesses how the inner ear transmits brain signals in response to sounds of varying amplitudes and frequencies. While confirming that hearing typically declines with age and is often better in the right ear, the team was surprised by the strength of the sex and environmental effects they discovered.
A closer look
The environment emerged as the second most significant influence. It affected not just volume sensitivity but also the range of frequencies perceived.
- Forest dwellers displayed the highest sensitivity, potentially due to adaptations for vigilance in complex soundscapes vital for survival, or perhaps lower pollution exposure.
- High-altitude residents had the lowest sensitivity. Reasons could include lower atmospheric pressure impacting measurements, naturally quieter environments, or physiological adaptations to reduced oxygen levels.
- Urban populations showed a tendency towards higher frequency sensitivity, possibly from adapting to filter out constant low-frequency traffic noise.
The big story
The reason for women's heightened sensitivity isn't definitively known but could involve hormonal differences during development or subtle structural variations in the cochlea.
- Women also often perform better on speech perception tests, indicating superior brain processing of sound.
- However, researchers caution this heightened sensitivity isn't always advantageous; in noisy modern environments, it could negatively affect sleep and cardiovascular health.
- Understanding these biological and environmental drivers is key to grasping variations in hearing loss and noise tolerance.
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