Skip to main content

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Neurodevelopment
Volume 18 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1477181
This article is part of the Research Topic Exploring Brain Plasticity in Professional Education and Training View all articles

Neuroplastic Changes Induced by Long-Term Pingju Training: Insights from Dynamic Brain Activity and Connectivity

Provisionally accepted
Fangshi Zhao Fangshi Zhao 1Linlin Song Linlin Song 1,2*Yule Chen Yule Chen 1*Shaoying Wang Shaoying Wang 1*Xiaoyi Wang Xiaoyi Wang 3*Ying Zhai Ying Zhai 1*Jinglei Xu Jinglei Xu 1*Zhihui Zhang Zhihui Zhang 1*Minghuan Lei Minghuan Lei 1*Wenjie Cai Wenjie Cai 1*Qi An Qi An 1*Dan Zhu Dan Zhu 1,4Fengtan Li Fengtan Li 1*Chunyang Wang Chunyang Wang 5*Feng Liu Feng Liu 1*
  • 1 Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
  • 2 Department of Ultrasound, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
  • 3 Department of Radiology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
  • 4 Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Airport Hospital, Tianjin, China
  • 5 Department of Scientific Research, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Traditional Chinese opera, such as Pingju, requires actors to master sophisticated performance skills and cultural knowledge, potentially influencing brain function. This study aimed to explore the effects of long-term opera training on the dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (dALFF) and dynamic functional connectivity (dFC).Methods: Twenty professional well-trained Pingju actors and twenty demographically matched untrained subjects were recruited. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected to assess dALFF differences in spontaneous regional brain activity between the actors and untrained participants. Brain regions with altered dALFF were selected as the seeds for the subsequent dFC analysis. Statistical comparisons examined differences between groups, while correlation analyses explored the relationships between dALFF and dFC, as well as the associations between these neural measures and the duration of Pingju training.Results: Compared with untrained subjects, professional Pingju actors exhibited significantly lower dALFF in the right lingual gyrus. Additionally, actors showed increased dFC between the right lingual gyrus and the bilateral cerebellum, as well as between the right lingual gyrus and the bilateral midbrain/red nucleus/thalamus, compared with untrained subjects. Furthermore, a negative correlation was found between the dALFF in the right lingual gyrus and its dFC, and a significant association was found between dFC in the bilateral midbrain/red nucleus/thalamus and the duration 4 of Pingju training. Conclusion: Long-term engagement in Pingju training induces neuroplastic changes, reflected in altered dALFF and dFC. These findings provide evidence for the interaction between artistic training and brain function, highlighting the need for further research into the impact of professional training on cognitive functions.

    Keywords: Pingju, neuroplasticity, dynamic ALFF, Dynamic FC, Resting-state fMRI

    Received: 07 Aug 2024; Accepted: 09 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhao, Song, Chen, Wang, Wang, Zhai, Xu, Zhang, Lei, Cai, An, Zhu, Li, Wang and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Linlin Song, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Yule Chen, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Shaoying Wang, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Xiaoyi Wang, Department of Radiology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
    Ying Zhai, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Jinglei Xu, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Zhihui Zhang, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Minghuan Lei, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Wenjie Cai, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Qi An, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Fengtan Li, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Chunyang Wang, Department of Scientific Research, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
    Feng Liu, Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.