A study of mice has lead scientists to believe they are closer to understanding what triggers the brain to reduce sound amplification in response to a loud environment.
Researchers report that this protective reflex is controlled by Type II fibres in the ear. These fibres were previously shown to be necessary for speech discrimination in loud environments and for sound localization.
The researchers found these fibres also provide crucial protection for the cochleae, the auditory cavity in the inner ear.
Researchers now report that transgenic mice lacking Type II fibres in the ear exhibited a complete loss of this protective reflex, but had normal hearing.
Original research paper published in Nature Communications on May 12, 2015.
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