Research

Brain and Auditory Input in Children with Hearing Loss

The role of brain plasticity in auditory and language development. Childhood is considered a sensitive period of development. Within a certain time window, children’s developmental processes are very sensitive to experience and, meanwhile, their brains adapt rapidly in response to the environment by reorganizing their structure and function. The sensitive developmental process and the adaptive brain (also known as brain plasticity) not only bring children opportunities to develop but also increase vulnerabilities. In other words, children with adequate environmental support develop rapidly, while those who lack support fall behind their age mates or even show a permanent delay.

One area of research has focused on the association between auditory experience and brain plasticity, specifically in children with hearing loss. While previous studies have investigated this association at a group level by comparing children with hearing loss and those with normal hearing, much less is known about the relationship at the individual level. Recent findings imply that individual differences in brain structure may not only reflect past auditory experience but also serve as a neural signature to predict further language development effectively.

The impact of auditory experience on cortical structure in children with hearing loss. I investigated the relationship between the extent of auditory input and cortical structural reorganization in children with sensorineural hearing loss. I found that children with better residual hearing have larger gray matter volume at the primary auditory cortex, and this effect is moderated by their experience of hearing aid use. Furthermore, the early stage use of hearing aids may preserve the auditory cortex of children with hearing loss, especially for those with worse residual hearing. However, this beneficial effect does not persist beyond 17 months.

These findings underscore the importance of early intervention and fitting of hearing aids and cochlear implants to take advantage of neural preservation. By understanding the complex relationship between brain and behavior, we can better support the development of children with hearing loss and ensure that they have every opportunity to thrive.

Please find more details in the following articles:

1. Early-stage use of hearing aids preserves auditory cortical structure in children with sensorineural hearing loss.

2. The Amount of Hearing Input Affects the Plasticity of Auditory Cortex in Children with Hearing-loss: A Preliminary Study.

Build a predictive model using neural features to forecast post-CI outcomes. Since the human brain can be modulated by personal experience, neuroanatomy can reflect a summation of modulation through various environmental factors and serves as a relatively objective factor to predict individual development. Therefore, I am also trying to build a model using neural factors to predict spoken language development in children with cochlear implants. I hope the model can identify the ones who may receive limited benefits from cochlear implants so that parents and clinicians can offer necessary interventions beforehand.

Please find more details in the following articles:

1. Preoperative Neuroanatomical Features Outperform Non-Neural Features in Predicting Auditory Skills in Chinese-Learning Children After Cochlear Implantation.

2. Neural Prediction of Spoken Language Improvements in Children with Cochlear Implants.

Social interactive behaviors

Why do we use hyperscanning technique to investigate social interactive behaviors? The first question would be ‘What is hyperscanning?’ Hyperscanning is a relatively novel technique that is able to record the neural activations from two or more brains simultaneously. It can be applied via several neuroimaging techniques such as fMRI, EEG, and fNIRS. Taking advantage of this ‘simultaneous recording’, we are able to examine how people’s brains interact with each other in a social interactive scenario. A large number of studies have demonstrated that individuals synchronized their neural activations (i.e., interpersonal neural synchronization) during successful conversations, coordination, and cooperation.

What did I find? I used the hyperscanning technique to record the neural activity of two individuals when they had a five-minute speed-dating under natural conditions. I found that the interpersonal neural synchronization between the two individuals could predict whether they want to develop a romantic relationship with each other. And this interpersonal neural synchronization seems to be more related to social attractions rather than physical attractions rated by the daters.

Please find more details in the following articles:

Interpersonal neural synchronization could predict the outcome of mate choice.

Microstructure of the human brain

Quantitative MRI (qMRI) estimates the brain macromolecular tissue volume (MTV) and quantitative longitudinal relaxation time (T1) maps. These two measurements reflect cortical myeloarchitectural mapping from the microstructural perspective. I used this technique to examine the interhemispheric asymmetries in language-related regions in over one hundred adults. I found that the cortical myeloarchitecture of the inferior frontal areas is left-lateralized, while that of the superior and middle temporal gyrus is right-lateralized. Moreover, leftward lateralization is associated with metalanguage skills. This study reveals for the first time a mixed pattern of myeloarchitectonic asymmetries, which calls for a general theory to accommodate the full complexity of principles underlying human hemispheric specialization.

Please find more details in the following articles:

Myeloarchitectonic Asymmetries of Language Regions in the Human Brain.

In another project, I studied whether exercise affects cortical structural plasticity at the fine-grained myelination structure level. To this end, I compared the microstructural cortical features between elite golf players and non-athlete control subjects. It revealed that the microstructure of the left temporal pole in the golf players was better proliferated than that of control subjects. Besides, this myeloarchitectonic plasticity was positively related to golfing proficiency. This study has manifested that myeloarchitectonic plasticity could be induced by exercise, and thus, shed light on the potential benefits of exercise on brain health and cognitive enhancement.

Please find more details in the following articles:

Myeloarchitectonic plasticity in elite golf players’ brains.