Are you someone who goes absolutely bonkers when you hear someone chewing their food loudly? Or does the sound of someone breathing make you want to shove a pillow over their face? Well, it turns out you’re not just being particular, you may actually have a brain abnormality.
The disorder is known as misophonia, which causes folks to despise sounds like chewing, eating, loud breathing and more. It was first identified back in 2001, and some scientists aren’t convinced it’s a real medical ailment, but a new study seems to prove there is truth behind it.
Researchers out of the UK's Newcastle University report that brain scans of misophonia sufferers show changes in brain activity when such “trigger” sounds, like breathing or eating, are played. The sounds are also responsible for certain physiological responses, like increased heart rate and sweating.
"I hope this will reassure sufferers," Tim Griffiths, Professor of Cognitive Neurology at Newcastle University and UCL, said. "I was part of the skeptical community myself until we saw patients in the clinic and understood how strikingly similar the features are."
Source: Time