Neuroplastic changes induced by long-term Pingju training: insights from dynamic brain activity and connectivity

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Arts and Humanities

Background:

• Traditional Chinese opera, like Pingju, demands extensive skills and cultural knowledge.
• Such rigorous training may induce significant neuroplastic changes in the brain.
• Understanding these changes can illuminate the interplay between artistic practice and brain function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of long-term Pingju opera training on brain function.
• To analyze alterations in dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (dALFF) and dynamic functional connectivity (dFC).
• To explore the relationship between neural changes and the duration of opera training.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 20 professional Pingju actors and 20 untrained controls.
• Utilized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure dALFF and dFC.
• Performed statistical comparisons and correlation analyses between groups and neural measures.

Main Results:

• Pingju actors showed reduced dALFF in the right lingual gyrus compared to controls.
• Actors exhibited increased dFC between the right lingual gyrus and the cerebellum, and midbrain/red nucleus/thalamus.
• A negative correlation was observed between right lingual gyrus dALFF and its dFC, with dFC linked to training duration.

Conclusions:

• Long-term Pingju training induces neuroplastic changes in brain activity and connectivity.
• Altered dALFF and dFC in actors suggest a brain adaptation to intensive artistic training.
• Further research is needed to understand the cognitive implications of professional artistic training.