Science Alert: [2] The sound of people chewing, slurping, tapping, or humming can drive some people into a rage, and scientists have actually discovered the neurological wiring responsible for this strange condition.
[3] Called misophonia, it describes the unreasonable emotions that well up in some of us when we hear certain repetitive noises being produced by other humans. People with this condition experience annoyance or even anger at the clacking of a keyboard, the rustling of a chip packet, or the smacking of lips.
[4] While it’s been recognised as a condition since 2000, research into the cause and prevalence of misophonia has been limited. There are no official criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), and those who experience it often find it difficult to be taken seriously. [5] In 2017, a team led by researchers from Newcastle University in the UK found evidence of changes to the brain’s frontal lobe that could account for the emotional response triggered by sounds in those with misophonia.