Tinnitus, Medial Olivocochlear System, and Music Exposure in Adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: The most common cause of tinnitus is the exposure to noise; in the case of adolescents, music is the main sound source they are exposed to. Currently, one of the hypotheses about the genesis of tinnitus is related to the deterioration in the functioning of the medial olivocochlear system (MOCS). AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the presence or absence of tinnitus in adolescents with normal hearing and to relate it to: (a) the functioning of the MOCS, by the contralateral suppression of the transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) and (b) the musical general exposure (MGE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted. The sample was composed by adolescents with ages between 14 and 15. Two questionnaires were administered, one in relation to the subjective report of tinnitus and the other in relation to recreational activities to know the MGE. RESULTS: The results showed that the amplitude of frequencies (1000, 1500, 2000, and 3000 Hz) and global amplitude of TEOAEs, with and without acoustic contralateral stimulation, were higher in the group without tinnitus, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). The suppressive effect was higher in the group without tinnitus; however, there was no statistically significant difference. Contrastingly, a significant association (P < 0.05) between exposure to music and tinnitus was observed; 72.41% of the adolescents with high exposure to music had tinnitus. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results of the present investigation provide a contribution to the hypothesis of "the participation of the MOCS." Furthermore, a high MGE can be considered a risk factor for the onset of tinnitus.

Development and application of practical criteria for the recognition of potential Health Restoration Soundscapes (HeReS) in urban greenspaces.

Urban greenspace soundscapes can contribute to the restorative effects that nature provides for the psychological and emotional health of people when certain conditions are met. The main objective of this paper is to propose practical criteria to help planners and managers in the design, development and preservation of urban greenspaces whose soundscapes may contribute to the renewal of health. Systematic literature review informed a conceptual potential Health Restoration Soundscapes (HeReS) model, based on five conditions: (1) Naturalness, (2) Sound Levels, (3) Perceived Sound Sources, (4) Soundscape Assessment, and (5) Sensescape Coherence and proposed Health Restoration Soundscapes Criteria (HeReS-C), for HeReS evaluation in urban green areas. The HeReS-C were applied in 21 sites in Argentina, Sweden, and Chile. General results are provided for all 21 sites, along with three in-depth profiles of HeReS-C applications that provide case studies across a range of resulting HeReS-C scenarios, including sites that meet the HeReS-C criteria, those that do not, and sites that could qualify in the future, if appropriate management measures are taken. HeReS-C showed to be a promising tool for the recognition of potential health-restoring soundscapes in urban greenspaces; informing their design and management to favor the well-being and health of the population.

A Green Soundscape Index (GSI): The potential of assessing the perceived balance between natural sound and traffic noise.

Urban soundscapes are dynamic and complex multivariable environmental systems. Soundscapes can be organized into three main entities containing the multiple variables: Experienced Environment (EE), Acoustic Environment (AE), and Extra-Acoustic Environment (XE). This work applies a multidimensional and synchronic data-collecting methodology at eight urban environments in the city of Córdoba, Argentina. The EE was assessed by means of surveys, the AE by acoustic measurements and audio recordings, and the XE by photos, video, and complementary sources. In total, 39 measurement locations were considered, where data corresponding to 61 AE and 203 EE were collected. Multivariate analysis and GIS techniques were used for data processing. The types of sound sources perceived, and their extents make up part of the collected variables that belong to the EE, i.e. traffic, people, natural sounds, and others. Sources explaining most of the variance were traffic noise and natural sounds. Thus, a Green Soundscape Index (GSI) is defined here as the ratio of the perceived extents of natural sounds to traffic noise. Collected data were divided into three ranges according to GSI value: 1) perceptual predominance of traffic noise, 2) balanced perception, and 3) perceptual predominance of natural sounds. For each group, three additional variables from the EE and three from the AE were applied, which reported significant differences, especially between ranges 1 and 2 with 3. These results confirm the key role of perceiving natural sounds in a town environment and also support the proposal of a GSI as a valuable indicator to classify urban soundscapes. In addition, the collected GSI-related data significantly helps to assess the overall soundscape. It is noted that this proposed simple perceptual index not only allows one to assess and classify urban soundscapes but also contributes greatly toward a technique for separating environmental sound sources.

A comprehensive methodology for the multidimensional and synchronic data collecting in soundscape.

The soundscape paradigm is comprised of complex living systems where individuals interact moment-by-moment among one another and with the physical environment. The real environments provide promising conditions to reveal deep soundscape behavior, including the multiple components involved and their interrelations as a whole. However, measuring and analyzing the numerous simultaneous variables of soundscape represents a challenge that is not completely understood. This work proposes and applies a comprehensive methodology for multidimensional and synchronic data collection in soundscape. The soundscape variables were organized into three main entities: experienced environment, acoustic environment, and extra-acoustic environment, containing, in turn, subgroups of variables called components. The variables contained in these components were acquired through synchronic field techniques that include surveys, acoustic measurements, audio recordings, photography, and video. The proposed methodology was tested, optimized, and applied in diverse open environments, including squares, parks, fountains, university campuses, streets, and pedestrian areas. The systematization of this comprehensive methodology provides a framework for soundscape research, a support for urban and environment management, and a preliminary procedure for standardization in soundscape data collecting.