Exploring the Neuroaudiological Pathophysiology of Misophonia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Misophonia is a neurophysiological disorder in which certain sounds trigger an intensely emotional or physiological response caused by an increased autonomic nervous system reaction to the triggers. This is a relatively new condition, and the neurophysiological mechanism behind this condition is not known yet. The assessment and management of misophonia need a team approach. Audiologists are key members of the team. However, their roles in this condition are not well understood. Our study aims to review the neurophysiological mechanism of misophonia, highlighting the mechanism involved in the audiological pathway and direct the discussion towards applications of findings in the assessment and management of misophonia from the audiological perspective. A review of 12 articles from different databases was conducted to highlight neurophysiological mechanisms. Most of the studies selected were experimental designs involving individuals with misophonia. Assessment of study quality reported an overall low risk of bias. This review also highlights the need to include an audiologist as a team member in the assessment and management of misophonia.