Misophonia, is present when an abnormally strong reaction occurs to a sound with a specific pattern and/or meaning to an individual. These sounds are typically called triggers.

Described as neurologically based disorder characterized by nervous system reactivity (e.g., irritation, anger, anxiety) in response to a decreased tolerance for specific sounds.

Images of neural function demonstrate that when an individual with misophonia is exposed to certain sounds, there is increased activation and connectivity in brain areas associated with fight–flight, emotional processing, unconsciously mediated auditory and visual attention

Recent research by Dr. Sukhbinder Kumar et al. (2021) shows that the brains of those with misophonia also show greater connectivity between the visual, auditory and motor areas of the brain.

Misophonia (occurring in about 60% of tinnitus patients) is characterized by negative reaction to a sound with a specific pattern and meaning. The physical characteristics of a sound (its spectrum, intensity) are secondary.