Reduced auditory input causes the brain to amplify internal neural noise

Evidence

Hearing loss and tinnitus have a high correlation,” Melcher adds. “Less coming in causes gains in amplitude inside, which continue to increase to the point that normal neuronal firing is amplified.” — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 563

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute…, 563
• XREF: connects to: The brain fabricates phantom sound when expected sensory input is absent — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute…, 324; Hearing loss causes the brain to amplify then fabricate sound as tinnitus — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute…, 331; Hearing is mostly internal neural processing, not raw external sound reception — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute…, 561 (+12 more)

Library Connections

• In sound’s absence the brain amplifies its own internal signals to compensate #corroborates (0.95) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 610
• The brain amplifies internal noise so total silence cannot be perceived #corroborates (0.85) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 609
• Near-total silence reveals that most people generate internal sound perceived as tinnitus #exemplifies (0.80) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 571
• The act of hearing itself makes total sensory silence unattainable #corroborates (0.80) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 526

Broader Connections

• The brain’s evolved vigilance actively forecloses the possibility of true silence #corroborates (0.75)
• A deaf man’s brain feels less silent without hearing aids than with them on #exemplifies (0.75) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 323
• Brains conditioned by evolution may generate sound when none exists #expands (0.70) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 333