fNIRS
Research Papers
fMRI-based validation of continuous-wave fNIRS of supplementary motor area activation during motor execution and motor imagery
Compared to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has several advantages that make it particularly interesting for neurofeedback (NFB). A pre-requisite for NFB applications is that with fNIRS, signals from the brain region of interest can be measured. This study focused on the supplementary motor area (SMA). Healthy older participants (N = 16) completed separate continuous-wave (CW-) fNIRS and (f)MRI sessions. Data were collected for executed and imagined hand movements (motor imagery, MI), and for MI of whole body movements. Individual anatomical data were used to (i) define the regions of interest for fMRI analysis, to (ii) extract the fMRI BOLD response from the cortical regions corresponding to the fNIRS channels, and (iii) to select fNIRS channels. Concentration changes in oxygenated ([Formula: see text]) and deoxygenated ([Formula: see text]) hemoglobin were considered in the analyses. Results revealed subtle differences between the different MI tasks, indicating that for whole body MI movements as well as for MI of hand movements [Formula: see text] is the more specific signal. Selection of the fNIRS channel set based on individual anatomy did not improve the results. Overall, the study indicates that in terms of spatial specificity and task sensitivity SMA activation can be reliably measured with CW-fNIRS.
View Full Paper →Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) neurofeedback as a treatment for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—a pilot study
In this pilot study near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) neurofeedback was investigated as a new method for the treatment of Attention Deficit-/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Oxygenated hemoglobin in the prefrontal cortex of children with ADHD was measured and fed back. 12 sessions of NIRS-neurofeedback were compared to the intermediate outcome after 12 sessions of EEG-neurofeedback (slow cortical potentials, SCP) and 12 sessions of EMG-feedback (muscular activity of left and right musculus supraspinatus). The task was either to increase or decrease hemodynamic activity in the prefrontal cortex (NIRS), to produce positive or negative shifts of SCP (EEG) or to increase or decrease muscular activity (EMG). In each group nine children with ADHD, aged 7–10 years, took part. Changes in parents’ ratings of ADHD symptoms were assessed before and after the 12 sessions and compared within and between groups. For the NIRS-group additional teachers’ ratings of ADHD symptoms, parents’ and teachers’ ratings of associated behavioral symptoms, childrens’ self reports on quality of life and a computer based attention task were conducted before, 4 weeks and 6 months after training. As primary outcome, ADHD symptoms decreased significantly 4 weeks and 6 months after the NIRS training, according to parents’ ratings. In teachers’ ratings of ADHD symptoms there was a significant reduction 4 weeks after the training. The performance in the computer based attention test improved significantly. Within-group comparisons after 12 sessionsof NIRS-, EEGand EMG-training revealed a significant reduction in ADHD symptoms in the NIRS-group and a trend for EEG and EMG-groups. No significant differences for symptom reduction were found between the groups. Despite the limitations of small groups and the comparison of a completed with two uncompleted interventions, theresults of this pilot study are promising. NIRS-neurofeedback could be a time-effective treatment for ADHD and an interesting new option to consider in the treatment of ADHD
View Full Paper →Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Schizophrenia: A Possible Biomarker for Predicting Clinical Outcome and Treatment Response
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a relatively new technique that can measure hemoglobin changes in brain tissues, and its use in psychiatry has been progressing rapidly. Although it has several disadvantages (e.g., relatively low spatial resolution and the possibility of shallow coverage in the depth of brain regions) compared with other functional neuroimaging techniques (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography), fNIRS may be a candidate instrument for clinical use in psychiatry, as it can measure brain activity in naturalistic position easily and non-invasively. fNIRS instruments are also small and work silently, and can be moved almost everywhere including schools and care units. Previous fNIRS studies have shown that patients with schizophrenia have impaired activity and characteristic waveform patterns in the prefrontal cortex during the letter version of the verbal fluency task, and part of these results have been approved as one of the Advanced Medical Technologies as an aid for the differential diagnosis of depressive symptoms by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan in 2009, which was the first such approval in the field of psychiatry. Moreover, previous studies suggest that the activity in the frontopolar prefrontal cortex is associated with their functions in chronic schizophrenia and is its next candidate biomarker. Future studies aimed at exploring fNIRS differences in various clinical stages, longitudinal changes, drug effects, and variations during different task paradigms will be needed to develop more accurate biomarkers that can be used to aid differential diagnosis, the comprehension of the present condition, the prediction of outcome, and the decision regarding treatment options in schizophrenia. Future fNIRS researches will require standardized measurement procedures, probe settings, analytical methods and tools, manuscript description, and database systems in an fNIRS community.
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