Transcriptional and neurotransmitter signatures of cerebral spontaneous neural activity in nurses with burnout
ObjectiveTo investigate the neural and molecular correlates of occupational burnout in nurses by integrating resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), clinical assessments, brain-wide gene expression, and neurotransmitter atlases.MethodsFifty-one female nurses meeting burnout criteria and 51 matched healthy con...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1630294/full |
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| author | Chun-Mei Song Chun-Mei Song Jian-Ping Liu Hu-Cheng Yang Qing-He Li Shu Wang Hai-Juan Chen Shu-Fang Wang Li Chen Si-Yu Gu Feng Zhang Ping-Lei Pan |
| author_facet | Chun-Mei Song Chun-Mei Song Jian-Ping Liu Hu-Cheng Yang Qing-He Li Shu Wang Hai-Juan Chen Shu-Fang Wang Li Chen Si-Yu Gu Feng Zhang Ping-Lei Pan |
| author_sort | Chun-Mei Song |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveTo investigate the neural and molecular correlates of occupational burnout in nurses by integrating resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), clinical assessments, brain-wide gene expression, and neurotransmitter atlases.MethodsFifty-one female nurses meeting burnout criteria and 51 matched healthy controls underwent 3 T rs-fMRI. We analyzed fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and seed-based functional connectivity (FC), correlating findings with burnout (emotional exhaustion [EE], depersonalization [DP], and personal accomplishment [PA]). The fALFF t-map was spatially correlated with Allen Human Brain Atlas gene expression (followed by gene ontology enrichment) and neurotransmitter system maps.ResultsNurses with burnout exhibited significantly decreased precuneus fALFF and reduced precuneus-right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) FC compared to controls. The fALFF in the precuneus negatively correlated with EE and DP, and positively correlated with PA, while reduced precuneus-DLPFC FC negatively correlated with EE. Genes spatially associated with fALFF alterations were enriched in pathways involving neuronal excitability, synaptic organization, stress response, and immune modulation. The fALFF alteration pattern also spatially correlated with serotonin, norepinephrine, γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, and endocannabinoid system distributions.ConclusionNurse burnout features precuneus hypoactivity and precuneus-DLPFC hypoconnectivity, linked to EE and DP severity. Associated molecular signatures implicate altered neuronal excitability, stress/immune pathways, and multiple neurotransmitter systems. The precuneus-DLPFC circuit and identified molecular pathways represent potential targets for interventions against burnout. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a33068c49d8a4165b6ea5f3ff840c4c4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-a33068c49d8a4165b6ea5f3ff840c4c42025-08-21T05:27:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-08-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.16302941630294Transcriptional and neurotransmitter signatures of cerebral spontaneous neural activity in nurses with burnoutChun-Mei Song0Chun-Mei Song1Jian-Ping Liu2Hu-Cheng Yang3Qing-He Li4Shu Wang5Hai-Juan Chen6Shu-Fang Wang7Li Chen8Si-Yu Gu9Feng Zhang10Ping-Lei Pan11School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaDepartment of Disinfection Supply Center, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Binhai Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Yancheng, ChinaDepartment of Nursing, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, ChinaDepartment of Nursing, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, ChinaDepartment of Nursing, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, ChinaSchool of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People’s Hospital, Yancheng, ChinaObjectiveTo investigate the neural and molecular correlates of occupational burnout in nurses by integrating resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), clinical assessments, brain-wide gene expression, and neurotransmitter atlases.MethodsFifty-one female nurses meeting burnout criteria and 51 matched healthy controls underwent 3 T rs-fMRI. We analyzed fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and seed-based functional connectivity (FC), correlating findings with burnout (emotional exhaustion [EE], depersonalization [DP], and personal accomplishment [PA]). The fALFF t-map was spatially correlated with Allen Human Brain Atlas gene expression (followed by gene ontology enrichment) and neurotransmitter system maps.ResultsNurses with burnout exhibited significantly decreased precuneus fALFF and reduced precuneus-right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) FC compared to controls. The fALFF in the precuneus negatively correlated with EE and DP, and positively correlated with PA, while reduced precuneus-DLPFC FC negatively correlated with EE. Genes spatially associated with fALFF alterations were enriched in pathways involving neuronal excitability, synaptic organization, stress response, and immune modulation. The fALFF alteration pattern also spatially correlated with serotonin, norepinephrine, γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, and endocannabinoid system distributions.ConclusionNurse burnout features precuneus hypoactivity and precuneus-DLPFC hypoconnectivity, linked to EE and DP severity. Associated molecular signatures implicate altered neuronal excitability, stress/immune pathways, and multiple neurotransmitter systems. The precuneus-DLPFC circuit and identified molecular pathways represent potential targets for interventions against burnout.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1630294/fullburnout syndromenursefractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuationsimaging transcriptomicsneurotransmitter systemsprecuneus |
| spellingShingle | Chun-Mei Song Chun-Mei Song Jian-Ping Liu Hu-Cheng Yang Qing-He Li Shu Wang Hai-Juan Chen Shu-Fang Wang Li Chen Si-Yu Gu Feng Zhang Ping-Lei Pan Transcriptional and neurotransmitter signatures of cerebral spontaneous neural activity in nurses with burnout Frontiers in Public Health burnout syndrome nurse fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations imaging transcriptomics neurotransmitter systems precuneus |
| title | Transcriptional and neurotransmitter signatures of cerebral spontaneous neural activity in nurses with burnout |
| title_full | Transcriptional and neurotransmitter signatures of cerebral spontaneous neural activity in nurses with burnout |
| title_fullStr | Transcriptional and neurotransmitter signatures of cerebral spontaneous neural activity in nurses with burnout |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transcriptional and neurotransmitter signatures of cerebral spontaneous neural activity in nurses with burnout |
| title_short | Transcriptional and neurotransmitter signatures of cerebral spontaneous neural activity in nurses with burnout |
| title_sort | transcriptional and neurotransmitter signatures of cerebral spontaneous neural activity in nurses with burnout |
| topic | burnout syndrome nurse fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations imaging transcriptomics neurotransmitter systems precuneus |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1630294/full |
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