How Can an Eye Injury Affect Hearing Sensitivity?

Question:

Margaret suffered an eye injury when her chemistry lab exploded, causing her to lose her sight permanently. Since the accident, she has noticed her hearing is more acute. What might be the cause of this change in sensory sensitivity?

Answer:

The cause of this change in sensory sensitivity is neuroplasticity.

Neuroplasticity and Sensory Sensitivity:

Sensory sensitivity refers to how knowledgeable individuals are about each of their sensory channels: sight, sound, taste, smell, touch, and pain. All individuals have varying degrees of sensitivity and different ways of perceiving and expressing their awareness of these senses.

Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity or neural plasticity, is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections in response to learning or experience. It is the brain's ability to rewire itself to function differently from how it previously operated.

In Margaret's case, the loss of her sight due to the eye injury may have triggered neuroplasticity in her brain, leading to an enhancement in her hearing sensitivity. When one sense is compromised, the brain may undergo changes to compensate for the loss by sharpening other senses such as hearing. This adaptability of the brain is a fascinating aspect of neuroplasticity.

Overall, the increased acute hearing sensitivity Margaret is experiencing post-eye injury is likely a result of her brain's remarkable ability to reorganize and adapt in response to changes in sensory input.