Why some people are more bothered by low-frequency sounds

The brain perceives low-frequency sounds in a completely different way from other sounds.

Maybe that’s why some people react more strongly to them.

Sounds below 16 hertz are commonly referred to by experts as infrasound. This is sound that is often considered impossible to hear. But that’s not actually the case.

“Humans can actually perceive infrasound if the sound level is high enough,” says Carlos Jurado.

He is a researcher at NTNU's Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science.

This sound is difficult to measure

Some people are more sensitive to low-frequency noise.

It can come from ventilation systems, heat pumps, wind turbines, industry, transport, generators, or transformers.

But it is difficult to measure because the sound is often perceived more as a hum or physical sensation than higher-frequency sound.

Researchers didn’t know how we perceive the sound

Researchers have long been uncertain about how we perceive infrasound.

Jurado has now investigated the issue together with Torsten Marquardt from University College London.

“Our research suggests that infrasound is registered in the inner ear in a different way than normal sound,” says Marquardt.

Specialised sensory hair cells are found in the inner ear

These cells are absolutely crucial for transmitting sound signals to the brain.

“But at very low frequencies, the signals to these hair cells become too weak, and other hair cells, which normally contribute to the hearing process, can still pick them up,” Jurado explains.

“These support cells, which normally receive signals from the brain to regulate hearing sensitivity, generate electric fields that are strong enough to trigger nerve signals that are sent to the brain, so that infrasound is perceived,” says Marquardt.

More of a sensation than other sounds

This may be why extremely low-frequency sounds feel different from other sounds.

“Small increases in sound pressure quickly make the sound much louder. We can now easily explain this phenomenon as a natural consequence of our new findings,” says Jurado.

The findings may also help explain why some people are bothered by low-frequency noise while others are not, since the newly discovered mechanism may vary from person to person.

Reference:

Jurado, C. & Marquardt, T. Infrasound sensation is mediated by intracochlear electrical potentials, Scientific Reports, 2026. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-50179-w

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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no

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