Functional reorganization is a response to auditory deficits or deprivation, and less is known about the overall brain network alterations involving resting-state networks (RSNs) and multiple functional networks in patients with occupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). So this study evaluated resting-state functional network connectivity (FNC) alterations in occupational NIHL using an independent component analysis (ICA). In total, 79 mild NIHL patients (MP), 32 relatively severe NIHL patients (RSP), and 84 age- and education- matched healthy controls (HC) were recruited. All subjects were tested using the Mini-mental State Examination scale, the tinnitus Handicap Inventory scale, the Hamilton Anxiety scale (HAMA) and scanned by T1-3DFSPGR, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging sequence in 3.0 T and analysed by the ICA. Seven RSNs were identified, compared with the HC, the MP showed increased FNC within the executive control network (ECN) and enhanced FNC within the default mode network (DMN) and the visual network (VN); compared with the HC, the RSP showed decreased FNC within the ECN and auditory network (AUN), DMN and VN; no significant changes in FNC were found in the MP compared with the RSP. Furthermore, the correlation analysis between the noise exposure time and hearing loss level, HAMA were both negative, and there were no significant correlations between the abnormal RSNs and the hearing level, noise exposure time and HAMA. These findings indicate that different degrees of NIHL involve different alterations in RSNs connectivity and may reveal the neural mechanisms related to emotion-related features and functional abnormalities following long-term NIHL.

中文翻译：

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噪声性听力损失患者静息态功能网络连接的改变：基于独立成分分析的研究

功能重组是对听觉缺陷或剥夺的反应，而对于职业性噪声性听力损失（NIHL）患者的静息态网络（RSN）和多个功能网络的整体大脑网络改变知之甚少。因此，本研究使用独立成分分析 (ICA) 评估了职业性 NIHL 的静息态功能网络连接 (FNC) 变化。总共招募了 79 名轻度 NIHL 患者 (MP)、32 名相对严重的 NIHL 患者 (RSP) 和 84 名年龄和教育程度匹配的健康对照 (HC)。所有受试者均使用简易精神状态检查量表、耳鸣障碍量表、汉密尔顿焦虑量表（HAMA）进行测试，并通过T1-3DFSPGR、3.0T静息态功能磁共振成像序列进行扫描并通过ICA进行分析。识别出 7 个 RSN，与 HC 相比，MP 显示执行控制网络（ECN）内的 FNC 增加，默认模式网络（DMN）和视觉网络（VN）内的 FNC 增强；与 HC 相比，RSP 显示 ECN 和听觉网络 (AUN)、DMN 和 VN 内的 FNC 减少；与 RSP 相比，MP 中的 FNC 没有发现显着变化。此外，噪声暴露时间与听力损失水平、HAMA之间的相关性分析均为负，异常RSN与听力水平、噪声暴露时间和HAMA之间不存在显着相关性。这些发现表明，不同程度的 NIHL 涉及 RSN 连接的不同改变，并可能揭示长期 NIHL 后与情绪相关特征和功能异常相关的神经机制。