Cacciotti Alessia, Miraglia Francesca, Siconolfi Giovanni, Iodice Francesco, Marrone Antonio, Pecchioli Cristiano, Vukoja Petra, Rossini Paolo Maria, Vecchio Fabrizio
Brain Connectivity Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Via Val Cannuta, 247, 00166, Rome, Italy.
Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Novedrate, Como, Italy.
Geroscience. 2025 Sep 18. doi: 10.1007/s11357-025-01902-4.
Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability, with outcomes depending on the lesion's location and severity. While motor and language deficits are common, rare manifestations like central auditory dysfunction can be equally debilitating. This case report presents a 57-year-old woman who developed acute bilateral central deafness following a cardioembolic ischemic stroke. To investigate underlying mechanisms, advanced EEG analyses were conducted, including spectral power analysis and eLORETA-based functional connectivity, across key frequency bands. The Small World index was applied to evaluate changes in brain network organization over 6 weeks. Results revealed disrupted connectivity in bilateral auditory and associative cortices, with significant spectral power alterations. Alpha and gamma bands showed distinct recovery dynamics, while connectivity metrics indicated a shift toward global integration, possibly compensating for local disconnections. These findings demonstrate the utility of EEG biomarkers in monitoring post-stroke neural reorganization and support their potential role in guiding rehabilitation for sensory deficits.
中风是成人残疾的主要原因，其预后取决于病变的位置和严重程度。虽然运动和语言缺陷很常见，但像中枢听觉功能障碍这样的罕见表现同样会使人衰弱。本病例报告介绍了一名57岁女性，她在发生心源性栓塞性缺血性中风后出现急性双侧中枢性耳聋。为了研究潜在机制，进行了先进的脑电图分析，包括跨关键频段的频谱功率分析和基于eLORETA的功能连接分析。应用小世界指数评估6周内脑网络组织的变化。结果显示双侧听觉和联合皮质的连接中断，频谱功率有显著改变。α和γ频段显示出不同的恢复动态，而连接指标表明向全局整合转变，可能是在补偿局部断开连接。这些发现证明了脑电图生物标志物在监测中风后神经重组中的作用，并支持它们在指导感觉缺陷康复中的潜在作用。
