Berlin : A muscle in the human ear, long considered inactive, has been found to play a significant role under certain conditions, leaving scientists surprised.
According to media reports, a study published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience has revealed that the Auricularis Posterior muscle, located behind the ear, becomes active when a person focuses intently on listening—particularly when processing complex audio.
Researchers at Saarland University in Germany conducted an experiment involving 20 participants who were exposed to various sounds. Using electromyography (EMG), scientists recorded the electrical activity of the ear muscles. The results showed that as the listening task became more challenging, activity in the Auricularis Posterior muscle increased. This suggests that the muscle might help enhance hearing by subtly adjusting the ear’s position.
Experts believe this discovery could aid in treating hearing impairments, especially for individuals who struggle with focused listening. Additionally, the findings could contribute to improving the performance of modern hearing devices.
For nearly 25 million years, this muscle was considered functionally obsolete, as human auditory and visual abilities evolved to the point where moving the ears was no longer necessary. However, this research indicates that under specific conditions, the muscle can still be beneficial.
This breakthrough is seen as a major advancement in auditory science, paving the way for further studies on human hearing mechanisms.