Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 27, 2026
Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
Published on: October 13, 2023
Morphological brain network assessed using graph theory and network filtration in deaf adults
Eunkyung Kim1, Hyejin Kang2, Hyekyoung Lee3
1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Radiation Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Interdisciplinary Program in Cognitive Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Brain reorganization differs between prelingual and postlingual deafness. Prelingual deafness shows preserved auditory cortex density and increased connectivity, suggesting unique neural adaptations absent in postlingual deafness.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Prolonged auditory deprivation induces brain network reorganization in deaf adults.
- Understanding morphological and network changes is crucial for comprehending brain plasticity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate morphological and network differences in the brains of prelingual deaf, postlingual deaf, and hearing adults.
- To explore how the timing of deafness onset impacts brain reorganization.
Main Methods:
- Voxel-based morphometry and whole-brain network analyses using morphological covariance.
- Graph theory and network filtration based on persistent homology were applied.
- Comparison of gray matter density, primary auditory cortex connectivity, and network characteristics.
Main Results:
- Prelingual deafness preserved gray matter density in the primary auditory cortex, unlike postlingual deafness which showed a decrease.
- Prelingual deafness exhibited increased bilateral temporal connectivity and altered graph theory metrics (clustering coefficient, betweenness centrality, nodal efficiency) compared to hearing adults.
- Network filtration patterns differed significantly between prelingual deafness and hearing adults, indicating distinct brain organization.
Conclusions:
- Preserved auditory cortex density and increased connectivity in prelingual deafness represent unique reorganization compared to postlingual deaf and hearing individuals.
- Differential network reorganization in prelingual deafness may stem from the absence of auditory speech experience.
- These findings highlight distinct neuroplasticity mechanisms based on the age of deafness onset.
