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Dynamic brain functional connectivity in age-related hearing loss during auditory selective spatial attention.
Hongxing Liu1,2, Yanru Bai1,2,3,4, Mingkun Guo1,2
1Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
Geroscience
|December 29, 2025
Summary
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) impairs auditory perception. Brain network analysis reveals ARHL alters functional connectivity, with the right parietal lobe being crucial for attention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a prevalent condition affecting auditory perception in older adults.
- Dynamic brain functional connectivity patterns in ARHL during auditory spatial selective attention remain underexplored.
- Understanding these neural dynamics is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate dynamic brain functional connectivity in age-related hearing loss (ARHL) during auditory spatial selective attention.
- To identify changes in brain network topology associated with the severity of hearing loss.
- To explore the neural mechanisms underlying auditory attention deficits in ARHL.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 32 older adults with varying degrees of hearing loss.
- Designed an auditory spatial selective attention task and recorded electroencephalography (EEG) signals.
- Constructed multilayer time-varying brain networks using multiple time windows to analyze dynamic functional connectivity and network topology.
Main Results:
- Behavioral analysis showed a negative correlation between hearing loss severity and auditory spatial selective attention performance.
- Multilayer network analysis indicated increased inter-layer connectivity, decreased modularity, and higher participation coefficients with worsening hearing loss.
- Core layer analysis identified the right parietal lobe's critical role and suggested compensatory connectivity in the right prefrontal and frontal lobes.
Conclusions:
- Worsening age-related hearing loss alters dynamic brain functional connectivity, characterized by reduced modularity and increased cross-module interactions.
- The right parietal lobe is vital for auditory spatial selective attention in the context of ARHL.
- Findings offer potential neuroscientific insights and biomarkers for precision auditory rehabilitation strategies.
Keywords:
Age-related hearing lossAuditory selective spatial attentionBrain functional connectivityElectroencephalogramMultilayer time-varying brain networkMore Related Videos
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