View Single Post
Old 11-18-2010, 05:03 PM
Mark in Idaho Mark in Idaho is offline
Legendary
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Somewhere near here
Posts: 11,418
15 yr Member
Mark in Idaho Mark in Idaho is offline
Legendary
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Somewhere near here
Posts: 11,418
15 yr Member
Default

Yes,

Loud noises are often overstimulating. Your brain usually can filter out the stimulation that is not important or relevant. This filtering mechanism is often made dysfunctional by a concussion. When the loud noises are present, they overwhelm the brain as it tries to focus on the issues at hand. With so many issues being brought to the brain's attention, the brain struggles with "over-attending."

Over-attending is a common struggle for PCS subjects. It is the opposite of multi-tasking. If you try to multi-task, but have over-attending limits, the multi-tasking with cause an overload.

One could think of it as a highway with many lanes going the same direction. Let's say 10 lanes. For the PCS subject, those ten lanes may try to enter the brain and get processed. The PCS brain can not process all ten lanes at the same time. If the traffic (sensory input or different issues) is going slow with enough distance between cars, then they can merge to the two functional lanes and get 'processed' past the processing bottleneck.

Unfortunately, most PCS subjects have not learned how to limit their environment so the traffic is going slow and with good spacing. They have all ten lanes going 70 miles per hour and bumper to bumper. When they try to squeeze through the processing bottleneck, a collision occurs.

Just like an accident of the highway, traffic comes to a stop and needs time, maybe hours to get sorted out and going again. Fortunately, the only damage is temporary. Rest, a lessening of stimulation, and time will allow the brain to get reorganized and start up again.

This over-attending problem can have changing limits. On good days, the brain may be able to process much more simultaneously. On bad days, from poor sleep or other stress factors, the brain is much more limited.

One way of measuring this over-attending limits is with digit-span. Digit span is the number of items the brain can keep in live processing at the same time. At 2 years old, it is 2 digits like in Yes and No. It increases with age to 8 at 8 years old. It may increase beyond eight for those with higher levels of intelligence.

You can measure your own digit span with simple memory tasks. There are some online sites that will test it visually. Some evenm offer an auditory test. ( the original research was auditory) You view or hear a sequence of numbers and/or letters. You will respond by typing them immediately after seeing/hearing them. The point where you can not remember the sequence is roughly your digit span at that time.

Early after my injury in 2001, I could not enter a phone number without breaking it down. The first three digits, then two digits, then the last two digits. Sometimes, even the first three digits were a struggle. I would fail at the third digit.

So, yes, loud noises can be too many digits or an overload of stimulus that, due to its loud volume, creates a chaos of all the stimulus at the time.

Just like this answer. I have offered too much information for some PCS minds to absorb and process.

My best to you.
__________________
Mark in Idaho

"Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10
Mark in Idaho is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote