Noise resistance of the dolphin auditory analyzer as a function of the directional angle of the noise]

Masked tonal thresholds by noise in the bottlenose dolphin have been measured as a function of angle of noise direction. Sharp directional selectivity of hearing has been discovered resulting in an abrupt decrease of noise masking with the increase of the angle of noise coming. It has been shown that narrow directional characteristics of hearing is an angle 8 degrees plus or minus 2 degrees for the level of minus 3db. It is one of the main mechanisms supplying the echolocation system of the dolphin with the high level of resistance to noise.     

The effects of noise on the auditory sensitivity of the bluegill sunfish,Lepomis macrochirus

As concerns about the effects of underwater anthropogenic noises on the auditory function of organisms increases, it is imperative to assess if all organisms are equally affected by the same noise source. Consequently, auditory capabilities of an organism need to be evaluated and compared interspecifically. Teleost fishes provide excellent models to examine these issues due to their diversity of hearing capabilities. Broadly, fishes can be categorized as hearing specialists (broad hearing frequency range with low auditory thresholds) or hearing generalists (narrower frequency range with higher auditory thresholds). The goal of this study was to examine the immediate effects of white noise exposure (0.3-2.0 kHz, 142 dB re: 1 microPa) and recovery after exposure (1-6 days) on a hearing generalist fish, bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Noise exposure resulted in only a slight, but not statistically significant, elevation in auditory threshold compared to fish not exposed to noise. In combination with results from our previous studies examining effects of noise on a hearing specialist fish, the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), this study provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that fish's auditory thresholds can be differentially affected by noise exposure.     

The hearing of the Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar

The hearing of the salmon, Salmo salar L., was studied by means of a cardiac conditioning technique. Fish were trained to show a slowing of the heart, on hearing a sound, in anticipation of a mild electric shock applied later. The minimum sound level to which the fish would respond was determined for a range of pure tones, both in the sea, and in the laboratory. The fish responded only to low frequency tones (below 380 Hz), and particle motion, rather than sound pressure, proved to be the relevant stimulus. The sensitivity of the fish to sound was not affected by the level of sea noise under natural conditions but hearing is likely to be masked by ambient noise in a turbulent river. Sound measurements made in the River Dee, near Aberdeen, lead to the conclusion that salmon are unlikely to detect sounds originating in air, but that they are sensitive to substrate borne sounds. Compared with the carp and cod the hearing of the salmon is poor, and more like that of the perch and plaice.     

Stress and Auditory Responses of the Otophysan Fish,Cyprinella venusta,to Road Traffic Noise

Noise pollution from anthropogenic sources is an increasingly problematic challenge faced by many taxa, including fishes. Recent studies demonstrate that road traffic noise propagates effectively from bridge crossings into surrounding freshwater ecosystems; yet, its effect on the stress response and auditory function of freshwater stream fishes is unexamined. The blacktail shiner (Cyprinella venusta) was used as a model to investigate the degree to which traffic noise impacts stress and hearing in exposed fishes. Fish were exposed to an underwater recording of traffic noise played at approximately 140 dB re 1 μPa. Waterborne cortisol samples were collected and quantified using enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Auditory thresholds were assessed in control and traffic exposed groups by measuring auditory evoked potentials (AEPs). After acute exposure to traffic noise, fish exhibited a significant elevation in cortisol levels. Individuals exposed to 2 hours of traffic noise playback had elevated hearing thresholds at 300 and 400 Hz, corresponding to the most sensitive bandwidth for this species.     

Acoustic communication in two freshwater gobies: the relationship between ambient noise,hearing thresholds and sound spectrum

Two freshwater gobies Padogobius martensii and Gobius nigricans live in shallow (5-70 cm) stony streams, and males of both species produce courtship sounds. A previous study demonstrated high noise levels near waterfalls, a quiet window in the noise around 100 Hz at noisy locations, and extremely short-range propagation of noise and goby signals. To investigate the relationship of this acoustic environment to communication, we determined audiograms for both species and measured parameters of courtship sounds produced in the streams. We also deflated the swimbladder in P. martensii to determine its effect on frequency utilization in sound production and hearing. Both species are maximally sensitive at 100 Hz and produce low-frequency sounds with main energy from 70 to 100-150 Hz. Swimbladder deflation does not affect auditory threshold or dominant frequency of courtship sounds and has no or minor effects on sound amplitude. Therefore, both species utilize frequencies for hearing and sound production that fall within the low-frequency quiet region, and the equivalent relationship between auditory sensitivity and maximum ambient noise levels in both species further suggests that ambient noise shapes hearing sensitivity.     

Analysis of the extra-aural dependence of hearing disorders in civil flight personnel

The relationships between the incidence of hearing loss and concomitant pathologies in the civil flight personnel and individual sensitivity of the auditory analyzer to aviation noise and length of service was investigated using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) without repetition. In the sample examined, 335 subjects (group 1) had only the audiometric traces of noise impact on the auditory analyzer, and 108 subjects (group 2) displayed sustained loss of hearing (chronic sensorineural hearing loss). In the aggregate, the obtained results evidence that only the indicators of change in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (atherosclerosis of the aorta and coronary arteries, atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis) and sensorineural hearing loss depend on the individual sensitivity to noise and length of flight service. In the remaining cases, none of the factor criteria was the only cause of the pathology under consideration. The proportion of causative factors in the formation of health disorders varies in both the type of a non-auditory pathology and periods of flight service; there are also consistent patterns of the time of incipient hearing loss. The flight personnel from group 2 with the low noise sensitivity and sustained deafness were diagnosed to have a broader variety of extra-aural pathologies than the subjects from group 1 with incipient hearing disorders. ANOVA without repetition is applicable to evaluation of the impact of unfavorable flight factors on the formation of different types of somatic pathologies.     

Effect of SOD1 overexpression on age- and noise-related hearing loss

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in hearing loss associated with aging and noise exposure. Superoxide dismutases (SODs) form a first line of defense against damage mediated by the superoxide anion, the most common ROS. Absence of Cu/Zn SOD (SOD1) has been shown to potentiate hearing loss related to noise exposure and age. Conversely, overexpression of SOD1 may be hypothesized to afford a protection from age- and noise-related hearing loss. This hypothesis may be tested using a transgenic mouse model carrying the human SOD1 gene. Contrary to expectations, here, we report that no protection against age-related hearing loss was observed in mice up to 7 months of age or from noise-induced hearing loss when 8 week old mice were exposed to broadband noise (4-45 kHz, 110 dB for 1 h). Mitochondrial DNA deletion, an index of aging, was elevated in the acoustic nerve of transgenic mice compared to nontransgenic littermates. The results indicate the complexity of oxidative metabolism in the cochlea is greater than previously hypothesized.     

Some problems in measuring the frequency-resolving power of hearing

In spite of detailed elaboration of masking methods of measuring the frequency selectivity of hearing, such measurements actually are not in use for diagnostics purpose because of their time-consumption and ambiguity of extrapolation of the results to perception of complex sound spectrum patterns. A method of direct measuring of spectrum resolving power using rippled-noise test, is suggested. Results of measurements have shown that the actual ability of hearing to discriminate complex sound spectra is higher than that predicted by acuteness of auditory frequency filters: dependence of acuteness of auditory frequency filters on sound level does not influence the ability to discriminate complex spectra; and the influence on interfering noise on the frequency resolving power can not be explained by a decrease of the spectral contrast by the spread of excitation.     

Anti-apoptotic role of retinoic acid in the inner ear of noise-exposed mice

Exposure to loud noise can induce temporary or permanent hearing loss, and acoustic trauma is the major cause of hearing impairment in industrial nations. However, the mechanisms underlying the death of hair cells after acoustic trauma remain unclear. In addition to its involvement in cellular stress and apoptosis, the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, is involved in cell survival, transformation, embryonic morphogenesis, and differentiation. JNK is primarily activated by various environmental stresses including noise, and the phenotypic result appears be to cell death. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is an active metabolite of vitamin A that regulates a wide range of biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and morphogenesis. We evaluated the role of ATRA in preserving hearing in mice exposed to noise that can induce permanent hearing loss. Mice fed with ATRA before and during 3 consecutive days of noise exposure had a more preserved hearing threshold than mice fed sesame oil or saline. Histological and TUNEL staining of the cochlea showed significantly enhanced preservation of the organ of Corti, including outer hair cells and relatively low apoptotic nuclei, in mice-fed ATRA than in mice-fed sesame oil or saline. Phospho-JNK immunohistochemistry showed that ATRA inhibited the activation of JNK. These results suggest that ATRA has an anti-apoptotic effect on cochleae exposed to noise.     

噪声刺激后豚鼠耳蜗抗氧化能力的变化和α-硫辛酸对声损伤的保护作用

实验探讨了声刺激后豚鼠血清总抗氧化能力(total antioxidant capacity,TAC)和耳蜗组织一氧化氮(nitricoxide,NO)含量的变化及α-硫辛酸的抗氧化和对声损伤的保护作用。将豚鼠(350-400 g)随机分为无噪声对照组(n=20)、噪声+生理盐水组(n=20)和噪声+α-硫辛酸组(n=20)。噪声刺激(4.kHz倍频程,115 dB SPL 5 h)结束后立即测试脑于诱发电位(auditory brainstem responses,ABRs),取血清测TAC,制备耳蜗组织匀浆测NO的水平。所得结果如下:(1)无噪声对照组,动物听阈无明显变化;噪声刺激后生理盐水组,听阈上升的幅度明显高于α-硫辛酸组(P<0.05)。(2)噪声+生理盐水组,TAlC明显低于无噪声对照组(P<0.05);噪声+α-硫辛酸组同噪声+生理盐水组相比,TAC明显升高(P<0.05),同无噪声对照组相比,无显著性差异(P>0.05)。(3)噪声+生理盐水组,NO含量高于无噪声对照组(P<0.05);噪声+α-硫辛酸组同噪声+生理盐水组相比,NO含量明显减少(P<0.05),同无噪声对照组相比,差异无显著性(P>0.05)。上述结果提示,噪声刺激后血清TAC降低,耳蜗组织内NO含量增加;α-硫辛酸可通过抗氧化机制对噪声性听力损伤(noise induced hearing loss,NIHL)发挥保护作用。     

Restaurant noise,hearing loss,and hearing aids.

Our multidisciplinary team obtained noise data in 27 San Francisco Bay Area restaurants. These data included typical minimum, peak, and average sound pressure levels; digital tape recordings; subjective noise ratings; and on-site unaided and aided speech discrimination tests. We report the details and implications of these noise measurements and provide basic information on selecting hearing aids and suggestions for coping with restaurant noise.     

Enhanced signal detectability in comodulated noise introduced by compression

Many examples of natural noise show common amplitude modulations at different frequency regions. This kind of noise has been termed comodulated noise and is widely examined in hearing research, where an enhanced detectability of pure tones and narrow noise bands in comodulated noise compared to unmodulated noise is well known as the CMR or CDD effects, respectively. Here it is shown that only one signal processing step, a compressive nonlinearity motivated by the peripheral auditory system, is sufficient to explain a considerable contribution to these effects. Using an analytical approach, the influence of compression on the detectability of periodic and narrow band signals in the presence of unmodulated and comodulated noise is investigated. This theoretical treatment allows for identifying the mechanism leading to improved signal detection. The compressive nonlinearity constitutes an adaptive gain which selectively boosts a stimulus during time spans of inherently increased signal-to-noise ratio and attenuates it during time spans dominated by noise. On average, these time spans are more pronounced in stimuli with comodulated noise than with unmodulated noise, thus giving rise to the observed CMR and CDD effects.     

Sound the alarm: A meta‐analysis on the effect of aquatic noise on fish behavior and physiology

The aquatic environment is increasingly bombarded by a wide variety of noise pollutants whose range and intensity are increasing with each passing decade. Yet, little is known about how aquatic noise affects marine communities. To determine the implications that changes to the soundscape may have on fishes, a meta‐analysis was conducted focusing on the ramifications of noise on fish behavior and physiology. Our meta‐analysis identified 42 studies that produced 2,354 data points, which in turn indicated that anthropogenic noise negatively affects fish behavior and physiology. The most predominate responses occurred within foraging ability, predation risk, and reproductive success. Additionally, anthropogenic noise was shown to increase the hearing thresholds and cortisol levels of numerous species while tones, biological, and environmental noise were most likely to affect complex movements and swimming abilities. These findings suggest that the majority of fish species are sensitive to changes in the aquatic soundscape, and depending on the noise source, species responses may have extreme and negative fitness consequences. As such, this global synthesis should serve as a warning of the potentially dire consequences facing marine ecosystems if alterations to aquatic soundscapes continue on their current trajectory.     

噪声所致听力损失现象的物种差异及可能生理机制研究进展

噪声广泛存在于人和动物的生活环境中,从无脊椎动物到哺乳动物乃至人类,都会受到噪声的负面影响.强烈的噪声会损伤听觉系统的结构和功能,引起噪声性听力损失(noise-induced hearing loss,NIHL).本文对噪声性听力损失的类型、影响因素、噪声所致不同程度听力损失形成的可能机制进行了总结,发现NIHL主要与突触结构肿胀、谷氨酸引起的可逆兴奋性中毒以及活性氧引起的氧化应激、细胞凋亡、带状体损伤、α激动型鸟嘌呤核苷酸结合蛋白(guanine nucleotide binding protein alpha stimulating,GNAS)基因的mRNA及其上游lncRNA Sept7的表达量上调等因素有关.比较噪声暴露后不同物种听力损失情况的差异,发现鱼类和鸟类由于具有毛细胞再生能力而能够较快从听力损伤中恢复,啮齿类较容易受到噪声影响,而回声定位鲸类噪声暴露后的暂时性听觉阈移较小,非常有趣的是回声定位蝙蝠在噪声高强度暴露后未表现出暂时性听觉阈移的现象.上述结论提示,对不同物种的比较生理研究可深入揭示NIHL机制,并为听力保护以及噪声所致的听力损伤后修复等提供理论参考.     

Auditory evoked potential audiometry in fish

A recent survey lists more than 100 papers utilizing the auditory evoked potential (AEP) recording technique for studying hearing in fishes. More than 95 % of these AEP-studies were published after Kenyon et al. introduced a non-invasive electrophysiological approach in 1998 allowing rapid evaluation of hearing and repeated testing of animals. First, our review compares AEP hearing thresholds to behaviorally gained thresholds. Second, baseline hearing abilities are described and compared in 111 fish species out of 51 families. Following this, studies investigating the functional significance of various accessory hearing structures (Weberian ossicles, swim bladder, otic bladders) by eliminating these morphological structures in various ways are dealt with. Furthermore, studies on the ontogenetic development of hearing are summarized. The AEP-technique was frequently used to study the effects of high sound/noise levels on hearing in particular by measuring the temporary threshold shifts after exposure to various noise types (white noise, pure tones and anthropogenic noises). In addition, the hearing thresholds were determined in the presence of noise (white, ambient, ship noise) in several studies, a phenomenon termed masking. Various ecological (e.g., temperature, cave dwelling), genetic (e.g., albinism), methodical (e.g., ototoxic drugs, threshold criteria, speaker choice) and behavioral (e.g., dominance, reproductive status) factors potentially influencing hearing were investigated. Finally, the technique was successfully utilized to study acoustic communication by comparing hearing curves with sound spectra either under quiet conditions or in the presence of noise, by analyzing the temporal resolution ability of the auditory system and the detection of temporal, spectral and amplitude characteristics of conspecific vocalizations.     

Effects of Boat Engine Noise on the Auditory Sensitivity of the Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas

Fishes are constantly exposed to various sources of noise in their underwater acoustic environment. Many of these sounds are from anthropogenic sources, especially engines of boats. Noise generated from a small boat with a 55 horsepower outboard motor was played back to fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, for 2 h at 142 dB (re: 1 Pa), and auditory thresholds were measured using the auditory brainstem response (ABR) technique. The results demonstrate that boat engine noise significantly elevate a fish's auditory threshold at 1 kHz (7.8 dB), 1.5 kHz (13.5 dB), and 2.0 kHz (10.5 dB), the most sensitive hearing range of this species. Such a short duration of noise exposure leads to significant changes in hearing capability, and implies that man-made noise generated from boat engines can have far reaching environmental impacts on fishes.     

Ship noise‐induced temporary hearing threshold shift in the Chinese sucker Myxocyprinus asiaticus (Bleeker, 1864)

The study objective was to explore the effects of noise generated by a 2000 hp containership on the reaction of Chinese sucker Myxocyprinus asiaticus. The noise was played back for various durations (1, 2, 4, 8, 24 h) at 142.8 dB re 1 μPa. Immediately after the noise exposure, hearing abilities of the fish were tested using the auditory evoked potential (AEP) protocol and compared with the response to a control group with no noise exposure. After 1 h noise exposure no significant differences were found compared to control fish; however, significant auditory threshold shifts began to occur at 800 Hz after 2 h of noise exposure. After 24 h of noise exposure, significant auditory threshold shifts were found at all tested frequencies (100–3000 Hz) when compared to control fish. Recoveries were also measured until the auditory thresholds returned to the hearing levels of the control fish. Auditory thresholds of all Chinese suckers fully returned to control levels within 96 h of recovery time. The results indicate that ship noise exposure can lead to threshold shifts in Chinese sucker and that these threshold shifts are temporary, referred to as temporary threshold shift (TTS).     

Interspecific variation in the response of fish to anthropogenic noise

1. Elevated levels of anthropogenic noise, especially those observed through boating activity, can negatively impact fish species, but it remains unclear which species are most affected and which behavioural metrics are best used in assessing fish responses to underwater noise. The effects of boat sounds on freshwater species are of particular interest because freshwater environments are less studied than the marine realm despite comparably high levels of biodiversity.
2. In the current study, we examine the behavioural responses to boat noise in two freshwater species that differ in their hypothesised response to sound inputs: the spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius), a species with known hearing specialisations, and the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), a species with more generalised hearing capabilities. Fish were presented with boat noise in a laboratory setting, and their swimming, escape and foraging behaviours were assessed to examine differential responses in relation to hypothesised hearing abilities.
3. Both species showed a decrease in general swimming behaviours but an increase in erratic movements in response to boat noise, indicative of stress responses for both species. Despite the similarities in response based on swimming behaviours however, only spottail shiners exhibited true escape responses to the onset of the noise stimulus, suggesting a more extreme reaction in the species with a more refined hearing ability.
4. Taken together, these results show that freshwater fish can respond to increased levels of anthropogenic noise, but that the severity of the response may differ based on auditory structures and therefore presumed hearing ability. The differences seen between behavioural metrics used (swimming vs. escape responses) also demonstrate how care must be taken in choosing a metric when developing exposure guidelines for underwater sound exposures, as different metrics could lead to differential impact assessments.

     

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Korean Workers: Co-Exposure to Organic Solvents and Heavy Metals in Nationwide Industries

Background

Noise exposure is a well-known contributor to work-related hearing loss. Recent biological evidence suggests that exposure to ototoxic chemicals such as organic solvents and heavy metals may be additional contributors to hearing loss. However, in industrial settings, it is difficult to determine the risks of hearing loss due to these chemicals in workplaces accompanied by excessive noise exposure. A few studies suggest that the effect of noise may be enhanced by ototoxic chemicals. Therefore, this study investigated whether co-exposure to organic solvents and/or heavy metals in the workplace modifies the risk of noise exposure on hearing loss in a background of excessive noise.

Methods

We examined 30,072 workers nationwide in a wide range of industries from the Korea National Occupational Health Surveillance 2009. Data on industry-based exposure (e.g., occupational noise, heavy metals, and organic solvents) and subject-specific health outcomes (e.g., audiometric examination) were collected. Noise was measured as the daily 8-h time-weighted average level. Air conduction hearing thresholds were measured from 0.5 to 6 kHz, and pure-tone averages (PTA) (i.e., means of 2, 3, and 4 kHz) were computed.

Results

In the multivariate linear model, PTA increment with occupational noise were 1.64-fold and 2.15-fold higher in individuals exposed to heavy metals and organic solvents than in unexposed individuals, respectively.

Conclusion

This study provides nationwide evidence that co-exposure to heavy metals and/or organic solvents may exacerbate the effect of noise exposure on hearing loss in workplaces. These findings suggest that workers in industries dealing with heavy metals or organic solvents are susceptible to such risks.