The human brain is remarkably adept at adjusting what we hear based on contexts, like our current environment or priorities, but it's still unknown how exactly the brain helps us detect, filter and react to sounds. Now, biologists are a step closer to solving that mystery.
Now, biologists at the University of Maryland are a step closer to solving that mystery. Using an animal model, the researchers found that the orbitofrontal cortex , a brain region associated with decision-making but not typically linked to hearing, plays a central role in helping the auditory cortex adapt to changing contexts or situations. The team's findings were published in the journal"Our hearing doesn't just depend on the sounds around us.
When the OFC was silenced, the animals' auditory cortex did not switch between passive and active listening, impairing their ability to pay attention to and react to a behaviorally relevant sound. "We're just beginning to understand how the brain fine tunes hearing sensitivity in response to sudden shifts in behavioral contexts. We plan to explore exactly how the OFC communicates with the auditory cortex and see whether it's possible to strengthen the connection and improve hearing ability," Caras said.
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