What Is Misophonia?

Brain Connectivity And Chemistry

Recent research into brain connectivity and chemistry has revealed structural differences in the brains of misophonia patients. A study by Dr. Sukhbinder Kumar published in Current Biology in 2017 reported strong evidence indicating misophonia is a neurological disorder. Using MRI scans, Dr. Kumar and his team discovered individuals with misophonia have abnormalities in the functional connectivity of the anterior insula, an area of the brain involved in emotion processing. When exposed to a trigger sound, patients with misophonia experience an exaggerated response in the anterior insula, and they exhibit more activity in this area than those without misophonia who are exposed to the same sounds. Dr. Kumar's study also noted misophonia patients have differences in frontal lobe connectivity between the hemispheres of the brain. Compared to individuals without misophonia, those with the condition have higher myelination in an area known as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. This area of the brain is located just above the eye socket, and it regulates decision making, empathy, and emotions such as fear. Ongoing research is being conducted on sound and visual triggers for misophonia, and scientists are investigating the potential connections between misophonia and a region of the brain known as the amygdala.

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