Study on resting-state brain network alterations in flight trainees based on independent component analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the functional alterations in the resting-state brain networks of flight trainees using the independent component analysis (ICA) method. A total of 33 flight trainees and 33 general college students were recruited. Resting-state fMRI data were collected using a 3.0 T MRI scanner. ICA was employed to extract resting-state brain network components, followed by statistical analyses. Fourteen physiologically independent components were identified during the ICA process and classified into nine networks. The flight trainees exhibited significantly increased activation in the right calcarine fissure within the ventral attention network (FWE corrected, P < 0.05). Moreover, the region of interest values of the differential brain region in flight trainees showed a significant positive correlation with the correct rate of the Berg Card Sorting Test (BCST) and a significant negative correlation with the BCST perseverative error (P < 0.05 for both). The significant activation of the right calcarine fissure of flight trainees may be associated with the high attentional demands of flight tasks. Flight trainees demonstrated superior executive function and attention allocation abilities, providing evidence of adaptive functional adjustments in the brain caused by professional activities.