Effect of noise on higher nervous activity

Abstract

The effects of continuous, regular and irregular intermittent white noises consisting of three kinds of unpleasant noises (frying pan noise (FN), synthesizer noise (SN) and white noise (WN)), pure tones of 125, 250, 500, 1k, 2k, 4k and 8k Hz, and band-limited noises with the same center frequencies as pure tones were estimated by using electroencephalograms (EEG) and auditory evoked potential (AEP), to make clear the relationship between the unpleasantness of noise and brain activity. The results obtained were as follows. Alpha-wave appearance rate differed in continuous, regular and irregular intermittent white noise exposures. Psychologically unpleasant noises, estimated by the method of paired comparisons and a rating scale, brought about changes in brain waves that corresponded to the degree of unpleasantness. Changes in the number and the total power of the peak frequency in brain waves of the subjects exposed to pure tones showed a tendency to be similar to the equal loudness contour. Changes in the AEP components of N 1 and P 2 latencies and P 2 amplitude due to both pure tones and band noises with the same center frequency as each pure tone showed the same pattern, with the shortest latency and amplitude between the frequencies of 1 kHz and 2 kHz. The changes in AEP were also similar to the equal loudness contour.