Study on Differences in Functional Brain Networks of Individuals with Varying Degrees of Acrophobia During Virtual Height Exposure

TENG Chaolin; WU Min; HUNAG Meiqing; YUAN Liqin; QIN Shaojie; CONG Lin; MA Jin; CHENG Shan

doi:10.7652/xjtuxb202603022

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Study on Differences in Functional Brain Networks of Individuals with Varying Degrees of Acrophobia During Virtual Height Exposure

更新时间：2026-03-09

- Study on Differences in Functional Brain Networks of Individuals with Varying Degrees of Acrophobia During Virtual Height Exposure
- Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University Vol. 60, Issue 3, Pages: 233-240(2026)
- 作者机构：
  
  空军军医大学航空航天医学系，710032，西安
  西安交通大学生命科学与技术学院，710049，西安
  中国人民解放军第94032部队，733003，甘肃武威
  中国人民解放军93453部队，038300，山西朔州
- 作者简介：
- 基金信息：
- DOI：10.7652/xjtuxb202603022
  CLC： R318
- Received：19 June 2025，
  
  Published：10 March 2026
- 稿件说明：
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TENG Chaolin, WU Min, HUNAG Meiqing, et al. Study on Differences in Functional Brain Networks of Individuals with Varying Degrees of Acrophobia During Virtual Height Exposure[J]. Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 2026, 60(3): 233-240.
DOI：

TENG Chaolin, WU Min, HUNAG Meiqing, et al. Study on Differences in Functional Brain Networks of Individuals with Varying Degrees of Acrophobia During Virtual Height Exposure[J]. Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 2026, 60(3): 233-240. DOI： 10.7652/xjtuxb202603022.

摘要

为探寻不同程度恐高个体脑功能活动差异，利用虚拟现实技术，设计了虚拟高空情景实验范式，记录该情景下的脑电信号，通过精确低分辨率电磁断层扫描和迟延线性相干方法，比较了高空情景下不同程度恐高个体皮层电流密度以及脑网络小世界特征的差异性。研究发现：虚拟高空暴露条件下，不同恐高组皮层电流密度在α频段上存在显著性差异，轻中度恐高组在顶叶（顶下小叶，布罗德曼40区）大于非恐高组，而重度恐高组在额叶小于非恐高组（额中回，布罗德曼6区）和轻中度恐高组（中央前回，布罗德曼10区）；恐高组（也就是轻中度恐高和重度恐高）β频段下皮层脑网络小世界度属性显著低于非恐高组，且与恐高回避得分具有显著的负相关，提示脑网络最佳的功能分离和功能整合受到破坏。该研究揭示了虚拟高空暴露下恐高个体改变的皮层功能脑网络特性，有助于加深对恐高症病理机制的理解，为临床恐高的治疗提供了理论依据。

Abstract

To explore differences in brain function activities among individuals with varying degrees of acrophobia

this study designs a virtual high-altitude scenario experimental paradigm using virtual reality technology and records electroencephalogram signals during this scenario.By applying the exact low-resolution electromagnetic tomography and delayed linear coherence method

this study compares differences in cortical current density and small-world network characteristics of brain networks among individuals with different levels of acrophobia during height exposure.The findings show that under virtual height exposure

significant differences in cortical current density in the α frequency band exist among the groups：the mild-to-moderate acrophobia group shows higher current density in the parietal lobe (inferior parietal lobule

Brodmann area 40)than the non-acrophobia group

whereas the severe acrophobia group exhibits lower current density in the frontal lobe (middle frontal gyrus

Brodmann area 6)compared to the non-acrophobia group

and lower than the mild-to-moderate group in the precentral gyrus (Brodmann area 10).In the β frequency band

the small-worldness property of cortical brain networks is significantly lower in both acrophobia groups (mild-to-moderate and severe)than in the non-acrophobia group and shows a significant negative correlation with acrophobia avoidance scores

suggesting impaired optimal functional segregation and integration in brain networks. This study reveals altered cortical functional brain network characteristics in acrophobic individuals under virtual high-altitude exposure

contributing to a deeper understanding of the pathological mechanisms of acrophobia and providing a theoretical basis for clinical treatment strategies.

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references

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