Alterations to cognitive abilities and functional networks in rats post broad-band intense noise exposure

• Published in: Brain imaging and behavior Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 1884 - 1892
• Main Authors: Xu, Xiao-Min, Zhang, Yu-Qun, Zang, Feng-Chao, Lu, Chun-Qiang, Liu, Li-Jie, Wang, Jian, Salvi, Richard, Chen, Yu-Chen, Teng, Gao-Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.08.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Arousal; Auditory system; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Brain stem; Cognition; Cognitive ability; Cortex (auditory); Cortex (cingulate); Cortex (somatosensory); Dementia disorders; Hearing; Hearing loss; Hearing protection; Motor task performance; Neuropsychology; Neuroradiology; Neurosciences; Noise; Noise levels; Observational learning; Original Research; Psychiatry; Spatial discrimination learning; Spatial memory; Substrates; Default mode network; Rat model; cognitive impairment; Noise induced hearing loss; Auditory network
• ISSN: 1931-7557; 1931-7565
• DOI: 10.1007/s11682-022-00643-8

This study aimed to investigate the alterations of cognition and functional connectivity post noise, and find the progress and neural substrates of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL)-associated cognitive impairment. We exposed rats to 122 dB broad-band noise for 2 h to induce hearing loss and the auditory function was assessed by measuring auditory brainstem response thresholds. Morris water maze test and resting state MRI were computed at 0 day, 1, 3, 6 months post noise to reveal cognitive ability and neural substrate. The interregional connections in the auditory network and default mode network, as well as the connections using the auditory cortex and cingulate cortex as seeds were also examined addtionally. The deficit in spatial learning/memory was only observed at 6 months after noise exposure. The internal connections in the auditory network and default mode network were enhanced at 0 day and decreased at 6 months post noise. The connectivity using the auditory cortex and cingulate cortex as seeds generally followed the rule of “enhancement-normal-decrease-widely decrease”. A new model accounting for arousal, dementia, motor control of NIHL in is proposed. Our study highlights the fundamental flexibility of neural systems, and may also point toward novel therapeutic strategies for treating sensory disorders.