FOR even the calmest of people, hearing someone slurp on their food or incessantly tapping their pen can incite rage.

But it turns out hatred of such sounds is actually a neurological condition called misophonia.

1 People who claim they hate the sound of people eating actually have a neurological condition known as misophonia Credit: Getty - Contributor

Scientists say that people who get angry at noises like eating or breathing actually have brains that are hardwired differently.

Researchers at Newcastle University scanned the brains of 42 people in the UK – 20 suffering from misophonia and 22 without the condition.

The participants were placed in a MRI scanner and played unpleasant sounds, such as screaming, rain fall and people's 'triggers'.

The team found that the anterior insular - part of the brain that joins our senses with our emotions - was overly active in misophonia.

"Triggers" came in a whole range of noises, including chewing, screaming and even the sound of rain.

Examples of responses included rage, an increased heart rate and sweating.

Dr Sukhbinder Kumar from Newcastle University said: "They are going into overdrive when they hear these sounds, but the activity was specific to the trigger sounds not the other two sounds.

"The reaction is anger mostly, it's not disgust. The dominating emotion is the anger - it looks like a normal response, but then it is going into overdrive."

The findings were published in the journal Current Biology last year.

What is misophonia? Misophonia, literally "hatred of sound", was coined in 2000 as a condition in which negative emotions, thoughts, and physical reactions are triggered by specific sounds. Misophonia is not classified as an auditory or psychiatric condition, there are no standard diagnostic criteria, and there is little research on how common it is or the treatment. Sufferers suggest misophonia can adversely affect the ability to achieve life goals and to enjoy social situations. Treatment consists of developing coping strategies through cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy.

Olana Tansley-Hancock, who has suffered from the condition since she was eight years old, struggles with sounds like breathing and eating.

"I feel there's a threat and get the urge to lash out - it's the fight or flight response," she told the BBC.

"Anyone eating crisps is always going to set me off, the rustle of the packet is enough to start a reaction.

"It's not a general annoyance, it's an immediate 'Oh my God, what is that sound?' I need to get away from it or stop it'."

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The term misophonia was first coined by audiologists Pawel and Margaret Jastreboff in a publication in 2000.

There are no evidence-based treatments for the condition; doctors generally try to help people manage it by recognising what the person is experiencing, and working on coping strategies.

It is not known whether males or females or older or younger people, are more likely to have misophonia.

Woman slurps spilt drink through straw on pub floor

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