Chapter 1 - Introduction

Abstract

Noise affects the brain in many ways. The most obvious one is by causing hearing loss, which in turn results in changes in the brain that can result in tinnitus. Only in the early 19th century were occupational hazards resulting in deafness identified. Animal studies in the early 20th century discovered the neural substrates thereof, and safe exposure levels were established. More recently, it has been demonstrated that even legally safe noise exposure levels, if presented for a long time, can cause long-lasting changes in the central auditory nervous system, in the absence of demonstrable hearing loss. Recreational noise, such as loud music, currently competes with occupational noise exposure for being a primary cause of hearing impairment. Environmental noise can, beyond being a source of annoyance, also cause sleep problems and stress. This introductory chapter uses a historical approach to this manifold of effects of noise on the brain, and concludes that prevention is the best solution.