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Alterations of White Matter Structural Brain Network in Children With Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Graph Theory

Jiayan Zhuang1, Jin Wang1, Gengbiao Zhang1

  • 1Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong Province, China, st120.cn.

Neural Plasticity
|March 13, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) show brain network changes, especially after the auditory sensitive period. Early hearing intervention is crucial to minimize white matter damage and cognitive impacts.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • The central auditory system exhibits heightened plasticity during childhood (2-4 years), known as the auditory sensitive period.
  • Cochlear implantation (CI) offers good prognosis for congenital sensorineural hearing loss (CSNHL) within this period, but outcomes vary.
  • Understanding white matter network changes in SNHL children is vital for improving CI outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To construct structural brain networks using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in children with SNHL.
  • To analyze topological alterations in these networks using graph theory.
  • To investigate age-related white matter network changes relative to the auditory sensitive period.

Main Methods:

  • 109 children with SNHL and 61 controls underwent DTI.
  • Participants were categorized into two groups based on the auditory sensitive period: Group A (12-47 months) and Group B (48-120 months).
  • Graph theory analysis was applied to DTI data to assess structural brain network topology.

Main Results:

  • Both SNHL groups exhibited altered network topology compared to controls.
  • Group A showed decreased nodal parameters in higher-order cognitive regions, with no global changes.
  • Group B displayed reduced nodal parameters in cortical regions and decreased global efficiency (Eglob), alongside weakened subnetwork connections.

Conclusions:

  • Structural brain networks in SNHL children show minimal changes before the auditory sensitive period.
  • Exceeding the auditory sensitive period leads to more pronounced 'deaf brain' features, impacting higher-order cognition.
  • Prompt hearing intervention before the auditory sensitive period is recommended to mitigate white matter network damage.
Abstract

Keywords:
auditory sensitive periodbrain networksdiffusion tensor imaginggraph theory analysissensorineural hearing loss

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