{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T21:38:02Z","timestamp":1784065082888,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,16]],"date-time":"2025-06-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750032000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>Occupational burnout is a significant problem among nurses, linked to negative outcomes. Understanding its neurobiological basis is crucial, yet remains limited.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were acquired from 40 female nurses with occupational burnout and 40 healthy controls. Degree centrality (DC) was calculated to identify functional hubs, and subsequent functional connectivity (FC) analysis was performed. Group differences in DC and FC were statistically compared. Their correlations with Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) scores were assessed, and a classification model was built using DC and FC features to distinguish between burnout and control groups.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The burnout group showed significantly decreased DC in bilateral precuneus and reduced FC between left precuneus and right medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) compared to the healthy control group. These neuroimaging markers correlated with clinical burnout dimensions: precuneus DC negatively associated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, while precuneus-mOFC connectivity positively correlated with personal accomplishment. A linear discriminant analysis model combining DC and FC measures achieved 85% classification accuracy (sensitivity 80%, specificity 90%) in distinguishing burnout from controls.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>These findings identify the precuneus and its mOFC connectivity as key neural substrates of occupational burnout, suggesting disrupted integration between self-referential processing and reward\/emotion regulation systems. Our results advance understanding of burnout\u2019s neurobiological mechanisms and demonstrate the potential of neuroimaging markers for objective burnout assessment.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1595550","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,16]],"date-time":"2025-06-16T06:16:59Z","timestamp":1750054619000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Abnormal intrinsic functional hubs and connectivity in nurses with occupational burnout: a resting-state fMRI study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Jian-Ping","family":"Liu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Si-Yu","family":"Gu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chun-Mei","family":"Song","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hu-Cheng","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yang","family":"Shi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yu-Fang","family":"Gu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shu-Fang","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ying-Zhu","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3268","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-53044-w","article-title":"Associations of lifestyle with burnout risk and recovery need in Flemish secondary schoolteachers: a cross-sectional study","volume":"14","author":"Verhavert","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2365","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.5230","article-title":"Demographic, occupational, and societal features associated with burnout among medical oncology staff members: cross-sectional results of a Cancer Center in Beijing, China","volume":"28","author":"Chen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Psychooncology"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5836","DOI":"10.1111\/jocn.16708","article-title":"Global prevalence of nursing burnout syndrome and temporal trends for the last 10\u202fyears: a meta-analysis of 94 studies covering over 30 countries","volume":"32","author":"Ge","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Clin Nurs"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1835","DOI":"10.1111\/jonm.12884","article-title":"Job burnout and quality of working life among Chinese nurses: a cross-sectional study","volume":"27","author":"Wang","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Nurs Manag"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100565","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eclinm.2020.100565","article-title":"Consequences of early career nurse burnout: a prospective long-term follow-up on cognitive functions, depressive symptoms, and insomnia","volume":"27","author":"Rudman","year":"2020","journal-title":"EClinicalMedicine"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10971","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-023-38169-8","article-title":"Interventions to reduce burnout among clinical nurses: systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"13","author":"Lee","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2383","DOI":"10.1111\/jonm.13414","article-title":"Curbing nurses' burnout during COVID-19: the roles of servant leadership and psychological safety","volume":"29","author":"Ma","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Nurs Manag"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23901","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-74745-2","article-title":"Association between brain resting-state functional activities and migraine: a bidirectional mendelian randomization study","volume":"14","author":"Lu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"923942","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2022.923942","article-title":"Neuroimaging biomarkers of cognitive recovery after ischemic stroke","volume":"13","author":"Tahmi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Neurol"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"935360","DOI":"10.3389\/fcell.2022.935360","article-title":"Altered resting-state functional connectivity in hiPSCs-derived neuronal networks from schizophrenia patients","volume":"10","author":"Puvogel","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Cell Dev Biol"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"258","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2020.00258","article-title":"Diagnosis of autism Spectrum disorder using central-moment features from low- and high-order dynamic resting-state functional connectivity networks","volume":"14","author":"Zhao","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front Neurosci"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1178","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2010.12.060","article-title":"Chronic stress is linked to 5-HT(1A) receptor changes and functional disintegration of the limbic networks","volume":"55","author":"Jovanovic","year":"2011","journal-title":"NeuroImage"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1918","DOI":"10.1002\/jmri.29288","article-title":"Rich Club reorganization in nurses before and after the onset of occupational burnout: a longitudinal MRI study","volume":"60","author":"Chen","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Magn Reson Imaging"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5300","DOI":"10.1002\/hbm.25617","article-title":"Dynamic brain connectome and high risk of mental problem in clinical nurses","volume":"42","author":"Bai","year":"2021","journal-title":"Hum Brain Mapp"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.31083\/j.jin2301009","article-title":"Differences in functional activity and connectivity in the right Frontoparietal network between nurses working Long-term shifts and fixed day shifts","volume":"23","author":"Dong","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Integr Neurosci"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23897","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-75237-z","article-title":"The different impacts of pain-related negative emotion and trait negative emotion on brain function in patients with inflammatory bowel disease","volume":"14","author":"Yang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100341","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijchp.2022.100341","article-title":"Abnormal degree centrality and functional connectivity in down syndrome: a resting-state fMRI study","volume":"23","author":"Ca\u00f1ete-Mass\u00e9","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int J Clin Health Psychol"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2680","DOI":"10.1111\/cns.14212","article-title":"Aberrant voxel-based degree centrality and functional connectivity in Parkinson's disease patients with fatigue","volume":"29","author":"Shan","year":"2023","journal-title":"CNS Neurosci Ther"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"207","DOI":"10.3761\/j.iSSN.0254-1769.2008.03.005","article-title":"Diagnostic standard and norms of Maslach Burnout Inventory for nurses in Hangzhou","volume":"43","author":"Ye","year":"2008","journal-title":"Chin J Nurs"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"893","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-006X.56.6.893","article-title":"An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties","volume":"56","author":"Beck","year":"1988","journal-title":"J Consult Clin Psychol"},{"key":"ref21","author":"Beck","year":"1996","journal-title":"Beck depression inventory manual"},{"key":"ref22","volume-title":"Maslach burnout inventory manual","author":"Maslach","year":"1996"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3548","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroimage.2011.11.023","article-title":"Functional connectivity mapping of the human precuneus by resting state fMRI","volume":"59","author":"Zhang","year":"2012","journal-title":"NeuroImage"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"564","DOI":"10.1093\/brain\/awl004","article-title":"The precuneus: a review of its functional anatomy and behavioural correlates","volume":"129","author":"Cavanna","year":"2006","journal-title":"Brain"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3598","DOI":"10.1093\/brain\/awad181","article-title":"The functional role of the precuneus","volume":"146","author":"Dadario","year":"2023","journal-title":"Brain"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"686","DOI":"10.1080\/15622975.2021.1907713","article-title":"The biology of burnout: causes and consequences","volume":"22","author":"Bayes","year":"2021","journal-title":"World J Biol Psychiatr"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"732","DOI":"10.1080\/1359432x.2021.1948400","article-title":"A clinical perspective on burnout: diagnosis, classification, and treatment of clinical burnout","volume":"30","author":"Dam","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur J Work Organ Psy"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"114023","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2021.114023","article-title":"Burnout: redefining its key symptoms","volume":"302","author":"Tavella","year":"2021","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1093\/scan\/nsab007","article-title":"Neurobiological models of emotion regulation: a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies of acceptance as an emotion regulation strategy","volume":"16","author":"Messina","year":"2021","journal-title":"Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"114688","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2022.114688","article-title":"Changes in intrinsic functional brain connectivity related to occupational stress of firefighters","volume":"314","author":"Lee","year":"2022","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1849","DOI":"10.1002\/jnr.25246","article-title":"Atypical brain structure and function in young adults exposed to disaster-related prenatal maternal stress: project ice storm","volume":"101","author":"Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Neurosci Res"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"232","DOI":"10.1093\/cercor\/bhs308","article-title":"Meta-analytic connectivity modeling reveals differential functional connectivity of the medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortex","volume":"24","author":"Zald","year":"2014","journal-title":"Cereb Cortex"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1201","DOI":"10.1007\/s00429-023-02644-9","article-title":"Emotion, motivation, decision-making, the orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and the amygdala","volume":"228","author":"Rolls","year":"2023","journal-title":"Brain Struct Funct"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"87","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cortex.2015.11.006","article-title":"Cytoarchitecture and probability maps of the human medial orbitofrontal cortex","volume":"75","author":"Henssen","year":"2016","journal-title":"Cortex"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"308","DOI":"10.1093\/cercor\/10.3.308","article-title":"Dissociable functions in the medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortex: evidence from human neuroimaging studies","volume":"10","author":"Elliott","year":"2000","journal-title":"Cereb Cortex"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1780","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19031780","article-title":"Burnout: a review of theory and measurement","volume":"19","author":"Ed\u00fa-Valsania","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"86","DOI":"10.1080\/02678373.2021.2002972","article-title":"Cognitive function in clinical burnout: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"36","author":"Gavelin","year":"2021","journal-title":"Work Stress"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1595550\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,16]],"date-time":"2025-06-16T06:17:01Z","timestamp":1750054621000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1595550\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,16]]},"references-count":37,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1595550"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1595550","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,16]]},"article-number":"1595550"}}