Davies J, Gander P E, Andrews M, Hall D A
* NIHR Nottingham Hearing Biomedical Research Unit, University of Nottingham , UK.
Int J Audiol. 2014 Mar;53(3):192-8. doi: 10.3109/14992027.2013.846482. Epub 2013 Nov 7.
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) uncovers correlated activity between spatially distinct functionally related brain regions and offers clues about the integrity of functional brain circuits in people with chronic subjective tinnitus. We chose to investigate auditory network connectivity, adopting and extending previously used analyses methods to provide an independent evaluation of replicability.
Independent components analysis (ICA) was used to identify coherent patterns arising from spontaneous brain signals within the resting-state data. The auditory network component was extracted and evaluated. Bivariate and partial correlation analyses were performed on pre-defined regions of bilateral auditory cortex to assess functional connectivity.
Our design carefully matched participant groups for possible confounds, such as hearing status. Twelve patients (seven male, five female; mean age 66 years) all with chronic constant tinnitus and eleven controls (eight male, three female; mean age 68 years) took part.
No significant differences were found in auditory network connectivity between groups after correcting for multiple statistical comparisons in the analysis. This contradicts previous findings reporting reduced auditory network connectivity; albeit at a less stringent statistical threshold.
Auditory network connectivity does not appear to be reliably altered by the experience of chronic subjective tinnitus.
静息态功能磁共振成像（fMRI）揭示了空间上不同的功能相关脑区之间的相关活动，并为慢性主观性耳鸣患者功能性脑回路的完整性提供了线索。我们选择研究听觉网络连通性，采用并扩展先前使用的分析方法以对可重复性进行独立评估。
独立成分分析（ICA）用于识别静息态数据中自发脑信号产生的连贯模式。提取并评估听觉网络成分。对双侧听觉皮层的预定义区域进行双变量和偏相关分析，以评估功能连通性。
我们的设计仔细匹配了参与者组，以排除可能的混杂因素，如听力状况。12名患者（7名男性，5名女性；平均年龄66岁）均患有慢性持续性耳鸣，11名对照者（8名男性，3名女性；平均年龄68岁）参与了研究。
在分析中进行多重统计比较校正后，两组之间的听觉网络连通性未发现显著差异。这与先前报道听觉网络连通性降低的研究结果相矛盾；尽管先前研究的统计阈值没那么严格。
慢性主观性耳鸣似乎并未可靠地改变听觉网络连通性。
