Examining Physiological Responses to Misophonic Triggers

We collected and analyzed face electromyogram, skin electrodermal activity, peripheral skin temperature, and electrocardiogram in 60 participants with (N=35) and without (N=25) misophonia, a condition characterized by decreased tolerance to innocuous sounds. Our goal was to characterize the physiological response to misophonia-triggering sounds objectively. We found that misophonic responses can be identified in some cases through atypical physiological reactions to triggering stimuli, though not all participants exhibited this response. Our analyses suggest a large interindividual variability in response to misophonic triggers and highlight the need for methodological adjustments in future experiments to increase the detectability of misophonic reactions.