Reduced resting-state brain activity in the default mode network in children with (central) auditory processing...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

• Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) is gaining research interest.
• Neural mechanisms underlying CAPD remain largely unexplored.
• Resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) can reveal intrinsic brain activity alterations.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate spontaneous brain activity in children with CAPD using rs-fMRI.
• Examine neural correlates of CAPD by analyzing the default mode network (DMN).
• Compare brain activity patterns between children with CAPD and typically developing controls.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 13 children with CAPD and 15 age/gender-matched controls.
• Utilized rs-fMRI with participants resting with eyes open.
• Applied Regional Homogeneity (ReHo) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA) for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Both ReHo and ICA showed comparable DMN activity patterns within groups.
• ReHo analysis indicated reduced co-activation in the superior frontal gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex, and precuneus in the CAPD group.
• ICA results were inconsistent between the CAPD and control groups.

Conclusions:

• CAPD children exhibit reduced regional homogeneity within DMN regions.
• Findings suggest altered intrinsic brain activity in the DMN contributes to CAPD.
• This research provides insights into the neural underpinnings of CAPD.