Research reveals why some find the sound of others eating so irritating

Scans show some brains have a stronger link between the part that processes sound and that which controls the mouth and throat

Scientists have shed light on why everyday sounds such as chewing, drinking and breathing can be so maddening to some people that it drives them to despair.

While the familiar munching and slurping of the dinner table are innocuous enough to most, those with misophonia - literally a hatred of sound - can find them profoundly irritating, to the point that they become disgusted, anxious, angry and even violent.