title: Insights from the First International Conference on Hyperacusis: causes, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: The First International Conference on Hyperacusis gathered over 100 scientists and health care professionals in London, UK. Key conclusions from the conference included: (1) Hyperacusis is characterized by reduced tolerance of sound that has perceptual, psychological and social dimensions; (2) there is a growing awareness that children as well as adults experience symptoms of hyperacusis or misophonia; (3) the exact mechanisms that give rise to hyperacusis are not clear, but the available evidence suggests that functional changes within the central nervous system are important and in particular, hyperacusis may be related to increased gain in the central auditory pathways and to increased anxiety or emotional response to sound; (4) various counseling and sound therapy approaches seem beneficial in the management of hyperacusis, but the evidence base for these remains poor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Audiology, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford; Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Hashir
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aazh
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McFerran
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salvi
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prasher
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jastreboff
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jastreboff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001307:Auditory Perception; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012001:Hyperacusis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D009622:Noise; D013016:Sound