A musician develops hyperacusis after prolonged exposure to high-intensity sound; which mechanism primarily explains why certain frequencies now trigger disproportionately strong auditory sensations?

💡 Explanation

Hyperacusis involves increased sensitivity to certain frequencies; it arises because prolonged loud noise can damage inhibitory mechanisms in the cochlea, causing increased sensitivity of the cochlear amplifier. Therefore, the correct answer is increased cochlear amplifier sensitivity, rather than decreased central auditory gain, elevated efferent activity, or reduced hair cell thresholds, which would involve alternative mechanisms.

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