The Effect of Noise Exposure on Cognitive Performance and Brain Activity Patterns

Jafari, Mohammad Javad; Khosrowabadi, Reza; Khodakarim, Soheila; Mohammadian, Farough

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2019.742

Cited by 85 publications

(56 citation statements)

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“…This again might be a result of the intervention sounds masking potential auditory distractors; nevertheless, this is not the only possible hypothetical explanation. For instance, it is shown that increasing the volume of background noise can intensify alpha brainwaves and reduce the power of beta rhythms [ 70 ]. Moreover, there might be some generic effect to all the tested interventions (including pure tone); for example, white noise might improve learning [ 71 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Binaural Beat Brain Stimulation and Short-Term Training on Simultaneously Assessed Visuospatial and Verbal Working Memories, Signal Detection Measures, Response Times, and Intrasubject Response Time Variabilities: A Within-Subject Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Rakhshan

Hassani-Abharian

Joghataei

et al. 2022

BioMed Research International

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Introduction. Binaural beats (BBs) are phantom sound illusions perceived when two sounds of slightly different frequencies are separately transmitted to the ears. It is suggested that some BB frequencies might entrain the brain and enhance certain cognitive functions such as working memory or attention. Nevertheless, studies in this regard are very scarce, quite controversial, and merely covering a very small portion of this vast field of research (e.g., testing only a few BB frequencies), not to mention adopting some limited methodologies (e.g., no assessment of the loudness of the BB sound, adopting only between-subject analyses, and testing only one perceptual modality). Hence, we aimed to assess the potential effects of alpha, beta, and gamma BBs on cognitive-behavioral parameters of working memory and attention examined simultaneously in two different modalities (visuospatial and auditory-verbal). Methods. This within-subject five-arm randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial included 155 trials in 31 healthy right-handed subjects (17 women, 14 men, 30.84 ± 6.16 years old). Each subject listened to 8-minute sessions of 10 Hz, 16 Hz, and 40 Hz binaural beats versus 240 Hz pure tone and silence (in random orders). In each 8-minute block, they played a dual 2-back task with feedback enabled. Their cognitive-behavioral parameters (working memory capacities, signal detection measures (hit rate, false alarm rate, sensitivity, and response bias), and reaction speed measures (response time and intrasubject response time variability)) were calculated. The effects of the sound interventions and short-term training on these working memory and attention measures were assessed statistically using mixed-model linear regressions, repeated-measures ANOVAs and ANCOVAs, Bonferroni post hoc tests, and one-sample t -tests ( α = 0.05 ). Results. The following are some major statistically significant findings ( P ≤ 0.05 ): In the visuospatial modality, the 10 Hz BB reduced the response time and intrasubject response time variability and reduced the extent of decline over time in the case of visuospatial working memory, sensitivity, and hit rate. In the auditory-verbal modality, the 10 Hz intervention reduced the hit rate, false alarm rate, and sensitivity. The 10 Hz intervention also caused the lowest intermodality discrepancies in hit rates and false alarm rates, the highest response time discrepancies, and negative discrepancies in working memories and sensitivities (indicating the superiority of the visuospatial modality). The response biases tended to be liberal-to-neutral in the verbal modality and rather conservative in the visuospatial modality. Reactions were faster in the visuospatial modality than the auditory-verbal one, while the intrasubject variability of reaction times was smaller in the auditory-verbal modality. Short-term training can increase the hit rate, working memory, and sensitivity and can decrease the false alarm rate and response time. Aging and reduced sound intervention volume may slow down responses and increase the intrasubject variability of response time. Faster reactions might be correlated with greater hit rates, working memories, and sensitivities and also with lower false alarm rates. Conclusions. The 8-minute alpha-band binaural beat entrainment may have a few, slight enhancing effects within the visuospatial modality, but not in both modalities combined. Short-term training can improve working memory and some cognitive parameters of attention. Some BB interventions can affect the intermodality discrepancies. There may be differences between the two modalities in terms of the response speeds and intrasubject response time variabilities. Aging can slow down the response, while increasing the volume of audio interventions may accelerate it.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Binaural Beat Brain Stimulation and Short-Term Training on Simultaneously Assessed Visuospatial and Verbal Working Memories, Signal Detection Measures, Response Times, and Intrasubject Response Time Variabilities: A Within-Subject Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Rakhshan

Hassani-Abharian

Joghataei

et al. 2022

BioMed Research International

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“…Besides top-down and bottom-up attention, attention could be divided into arousal, sustained attention, selective attention, and divided attention according to hierarchical models from Sohlberg and Mateer ( 48 ). Selective attention might be a crucial component of cognitive function ( 10 ). The altered amplitude and latency of MMN and P300 could indicate a decrease in not only bottom-up and top-down attention but also selective attention, sustained attention, and divided function ( 49 , 50 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Meanwhile, evidence of the non-auditory effects related to noise exposure is growing ( 4 , 5 ), such as, annoyance ( 6 ), disturbed sleep ( 7 ), cardiovascular disease ( 8 ), and anxiety ( 9 ). In addition to these effects, noise exposure affects a variety of cognitive processes, such as reaction time, memory, perception, and attention ( 10 ). Human error and, in some cases, increased accidents may result from the alteration of attention performance ( 11 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the influential parameters in the effect of noise on attention performance could be noise characteristics. Jafari et al ( 10 ) discovered the decreased attention in low-frequency noise-exposed subjects ( 16 ) and a significant reduction of visual and auditory attention when noise intensity was at 95 dBA level. Smith and Miles ( 17 ) found that subjects who were exposed to noise for 5 h made more errors than those who were exposed for 2 h in a reaction time task.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bottom-Up and Top-Down Attention Impairment Induced by Long-Term Exposure to Noise in the Absence of Threshold Shifts

Wang

Zhang

et al. 2022

Front. Neurol.

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ObjectiveWe aimed to assess the effect of noise exposure on bottom-up and top-down attention functions in industrial workers based on behavioral and brain responses recorded by the multichannel electroencephalogram (EEG).MethodIn this cross-sectional study, 563 shipyard noise-exposed workers with clinical normal hearing were recruited for cognitive testing. Personal cumulative noise exposure (CNE) was calculated with the long-term equivalent noise level and employment duration. The performance of cognitive tests was compared between the high CNE group (H-CNE, >92.2) and the low CNE group; additionally, brain responses were recorded with a 256-channel EEG from a subgroup of 20 noise-exposed (NG) workers, who were selected from the cohort with a pure tone threshold <25 dB HL from 0.25 to 16 kHz and 20 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and education. P300 and mismatch negativity (MMN) evoked by auditory stimuli were obtained to evaluate the top-down and bottom-up attention functions. The sources of P300 and MMN were investigated using GeoSource.ResultsThe total score of the cognitive test (24.55 ± 3.71 vs. 25.32 ± 2.62, p < 0.01) and the subscale of attention score (5.43 ± 1.02 vs. 5.62 ± 0.67, p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the H-CNE group than in the L-CNE group. The attention score has the fastest decline of all the cognitive domain dimensions (slope = −0.03 in individuals under 40 years old, p < 0.001; slope = −0.06 in individuals older than 40 years old, p < 0.001). When NG was compared with controls, the P300 amplitude was significantly decreased in NG at Cz (3.9 ± 2.1 vs. 6.7 ± 2.3 μV, p < 0.001). In addition, the latency of P300 (390.7 ± 12.1 vs. 369.4 ± 7.5 ms, p < 0.001) and MMN (172.8 ± 15.5 vs. 157.8 ± 10.5 ms, p < 0.01) was significantly prolonged in NG compared with controls. The source for MMN for controls was in the left BA11, whereas the noise exposure group's source was lateralized to the BA20.ConclusionLong-term exposure to noise deteriorated the bottom-up and top-down attention functions even in the absence of threshold shifts, as evidenced by behavioral and brain responses.

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“…Changes in the cognitive performance of individuals may lead to an increased risk of occupational and systematic errors in the long run, which can threaten the lives of individuals in such environments (4). In their study of the effects of sound exposure on cognitive performance, Jafari et al (17) showed that visual/ auditory attention, as well as brain function, significantly decreased in people exposed to a sound intensity level of 95 dB. Further, Taljaard et al (18) showed in their study that hearing impairment was significantly associated with people's mental functions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study of the Relationship Between Hearing Loss and Cognitive Performance at Chronic Exposure to Noise

Alimohammadi

Kanrash

Vosoughi

et al. 2020

Iran Red Crescent Med J

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Background: Noise is considered as one of the most significant and dangerous physical factors in work environments, and due to the advancement of industries, it has become a threat to physical and psychological health in the current era. In addition to its undesirable effects on the hearing system, noise can have harmful non-auditory effects that may cause physiological disorders and cognitive impairment. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between hearing loss and workers’ cognitive performance in an industrial environment. Methods: A total of 300 individuals were enrolled in this study after their informed consent was obtained, and their compliance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria was confirmed. Based on the sound intensity level, the individuals were classified into two groups of exposure to > 85 dB (n = 196) and ≤ 85 dB (n = 104). To measure the individuals’ occupational exposure at an 8-hour equivalent level based on the ISO 9612: 2009 standard, the Testo device (Model CEL-815) was used with the precision of 0.5 dB. The most common weighting that is used in noise measurement is A-weighting. Like the human ear, this effectively cuts off the lower and higher frequencies that the average person cannot hear. The DANPLEX-AS54 device was also used to check audiometry. To investigate the workers’ hearing performance, two psychological tests, namely Stroop and TOL, were used as well. Results: Hearing loss was higher among workers exposed to a sound intensity level of > 85 dB than those exposed to a sound intensity level of ≤ 85 dB, and this difference was significant in all sound level frequencies (NIHL left ear: for ≤ 85 dB: 25.92 and for > 85 dB: 27.49) (NIHL right ear: for ≤ 85 dB: 27.62 and for > 85 dB: 29.50) (P value < 0.05). The results showed a significant positive relationship between cognitive indicators and hearing loss (P value < 0.05). Moreover, the study of cognitive indicators in the two groups revealed that the mean change of cognitive performance indicators was higher among subjects exposed to a higher sound intensity level (P value < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study showed that noise-induced hearing loss in work environments had a significant positive relationship with cognitive indicators. In other words, an increase in the hearing loss level would result in changes in cognitive indicators such as number of errors and response time.

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The Effect of Noise Exposure on Cognitive Performance and Brain Activity Patterns

Cited by 85 publications

References 32 publications

Bottom-Up and Top-Down Attention Impairment Induced by Long-Term Exposure to Noise in the Absence of Threshold Shifts

Study of the Relationship Between Hearing Loss and Cognitive Performance at Chronic Exposure to Noise

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