Scientists have long thought that ear muscles, which wiggle when we focus or try to concentrate, were just vestigial leftovers from our ancestors. But a recent study suggests that these muscles might still play a subtle role in sound localization and auditory attention.
Researchers at Saarland University used electromyography to measure the electrical activity of the auricular muscles during effortful listening tasks. They found that when participants listened to an audiobook while being exposed to distracting podcast sounds, their ear muscles reacted differently depending on the difficulty level of the task.
The study’s lead scientist, Andreas Schröer, notes that the ear movements generated by these signals are minuscule and may not provide any perceivable benefit. However, the auricle itself does contribute to our ability to localize sounds, suggesting that the auriculomotor system is trying to fulfill its original purpose.
The researchers’ findings suggest that even vestigial muscles can have a hidden function in humans, particularly in challenging auditory environments. The study’s results also imply that targeting training or stimulation of these muscles could potentially enhance auditory focus, especially in noisy environments.
Future studies will investigate whether the activation of auricular muscles has any measurable impact on hearing precision or cognitive effort, as well as how these muscles function across different age groups and whether their activity diminishes with age.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/useless-ear-muscles-may-actually-serve-a-purpose