Is There a Difference in Brain Functional Connectivity between Chinese Coal Mine Workers Who Have Engaged in Unsafe...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neuroscience
• Occupational Safety

Background:

• Coal mining is a high-risk occupation requiring complex cognitive functions.
• Understanding neural activity linked to unsafe behavior is crucial for worker safety.
• This study investigates brain functional connectivity in coal miners based on their behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore differences in brain functional connectivity between coal mine workers who have engaged in unsafe behaviors (EUB) and those who have not (NUB).
• To apply functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to assess cognitive neuroscience aspects of coal mine safety.

Main Methods:

• Used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) on 106 coal mine workers.
• Employed Pearson's Correlation Coefficient (COR) analysis, brain network analysis, and two-sample t-tests.
• Compared brain functional connectivity between EUB and NUB groups.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in functional brain connectivity were found in the frontopolar, orbitofrontal, and pars triangularis Broca's areas between groups.
• Both groups exhibited small-world brain network properties.
• The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex showed significant differences in clustering coefficient and nodal efficiency.

Conclusions:

• This study is the first to use fNIRS in coal mine safety research.
• fNIRS analysis of brain functional connectivity is a viable method for studying the neuropsychological mechanisms of unsafe behavior in coal miners.
• Findings highlight potential neural correlates of unsafe behavior in this high-risk occupation.