Mechanism that regulates acoustic habituation identified
Tuesday, April 11, 2017 - 13:52
in Health & Medicine
Most people will startle when they hear an unexpected loud sound. The second time they hear the noise, they'll startle significantly less; by the third time, they'll barely startle at all. This ability is called acoustic habituation, and new research has identified the underlying molecular mechanism that controls this capability. The research opens the door to potential new treatments, especially for people who have autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia and who experience disruptions in this ability.