Effects of Noise Exposure on Functional Connectivity in Related Cortical Regions
ZHANG Qi
PAN Qingchun
MI Xueqin
HU Wenjing
ZHAO Haiqi
TIAN Ye
LI Bei
Abstract：Objective There is limited research on cerebral cortex functions in normal hearing individuals exposed to noise.The aim of this study is to analyze changes of resting brain network connectivity in a normal hearing population with long-term noise exposure using functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)technology.Methods normal hearing subjects who visited the Physical Examination Center,Affiliated Hospital of Peking University of Medicine,from January 2023 to July 2023(n=54)were divided into an study group(with a history of noise exposure,n=27)and a control group(without a history of noise exposure,n=27).Functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)was used to analyze the functional connectivity strength between different brain regions at rest,and the differences in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex(DLPFC),Broca area,Wernicke area,and homologous and heterologous brain networks were compared between the two groups.All subjects underwent relevant point P300 tests and completed the Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE).Pearson analysis was used to investigate the correlation between DLPFC functional connectivity strength and cognition.Results On fully oxygenated hemoglobin(HbO2),the study group showed lower whole brain functional connectivity strength than the control group(P<0.05).In homologous comparison,the functional connectivity strength of the left Broca region,left DLPFC region,and right Wernicke region in the study group was significantly reduced compared to the control group(P<0.05),with no significant differences in the regions of interest(ROI)of the other regions(right Broca,right DLPFC,and left Wernicke regions)(P>0.05).In heterologous comparison,compared with the control group,the functional connectivity strength between the left Wernicke and left Broca,right Wernicke and left Broca,left Broca and left DLPFC,left Wernicke and right Broca,right Broca and left DLPFC,right Broca and right DLPFC,right Wernicke and left Wernicke,right Wernicke and left DLPFC regions was significantly reduced in the study group(P<0.05).ROI showed no significant difference between the two groups regarding connectivity strength between L-Broca and R-Broca,R-Broca and R-Wernicke,R-Broca and R-DLPFC,L-Wernicke and L-DLPFC,L-Wernicke and R-DLPFC,R-Wernicke and R-DLPFC,R-Wernicke and R-DLPFC,L-DLPFC and R-DLPFC(P>0.05).Conclusion People with long time noise exposure show functional changes in the auditory,language and cognitive cortexes before hearing loss appears.
Keywords：noisecerebral cortexfunctional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)cognitionbrain functionlanguage
Publication Date：2025-02-27
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 38-42 )