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ABSTRACT: Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an emerging tool for non-invasively monitoring the haemodynamic response to brain activation. The technique has been widely adopted to investigate cortical responses during motor tasks in health and disease. This systematic review provides a critical analysis of the research findings in the hope of summating relevant information, identifying consistent outcomes acquired using different spectrometers, clarifying data inconsistencies, and learning from the common challenges across disciplines. The spatiotemporal characteristics, reliability, repeatability and modulation of typical cortical response evoked by motor stimulation are all evaluated in detail. The review assesses the contribution of the technique to advancing our understanding of motor skill learning and control in the context of tasks of everyday living, athletic performance, and recovery from neurological illness. Finally, the limitations of current fNIRS technologies are examined and a series of recommendations for future studies are provided based upon the reviewed literature.
NeuroImage 10/2010; 54(4):2922-36. · 5.89 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Optical topography (OT) is a near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique that provides spatial maps of haemodynamic and oxygenation changes. When developing, testing and calibrating OT systems it is often necessary to use tissue simulating phantoms that are capable of providing realistic changes in attenuation properties. We present a novel dynamic tissue phantom that enables spatially and temporally varying tissue properties to be reproduced in a controlled manner. This new dynamic test phantom consists of a modified liquid crystal display (LCD) (enabling flexible and rapid changes in attenuation across different regions of the phantom) sandwiched between two layers of tissue simulating epoxy resin (providing static and homogeneous optical absorption and scattering). By activating different pixels in the liquid crystal display it is possible to produce highly localised and dynamic changes in attenuation which can be used to simulate the changes associated with the cerebral haemodynamic response to functional activation. The reproducibility of the dynamic phantom will be described with examples of its use with an OT system.
Advances in experimental medicine and biology 02/2009; 645:141-6. · 1.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The effect of seizures on brain blood flow and metabolism has been extensively studied. However, few studies have focused on mitochondria. We used near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to study hemoglobin and cytochrome oxidase changes during seizures, induced by the GABA antagonist bicuculline, in the adult rat. A broadband spectroscopy system was used with the optodes placed across the rat head. We focused on the initial seizures post-bicuculline addition during which oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) increased, deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) decreased and total hemoglobin (Hbtot) increased. The NIRS signal associated with the oxidised CuA centre of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (oxCCO) decreased. At the highest bicuculline doses (0.25 mg/animal) the maximum values recorded were: delta HbO2 = +19 +/- 7 microM; delta HHb = -12 +/- 4 microM; delta Hbtot = +7 +/- 4 microM, delta oxCCO = - 1.7 +/- 0.3 microM. These results are broadly in line with other NIRS studies. However, previous measurements of NADH fluorescence indicate oxidation of the mitochondrial redox chain under these conditions. The changes induced by bicuculline provide an interesting challenge to the physics and biochemistry of using NIRS to study mitochondrial redox states in vivo and we explore the possible spectroscopic and/or biochemical meaning of these apparent anomalies.
Advances in experimental medicine and biology 02/2009; 645:129-34. · 1.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Oxy- (HbO2) and deoxy- (HHb) haemoglobin signals measured by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy over the human frontal lobes frequently contain respiratory and low frequency oscillations (LFOs). It has been suggested previously that venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) can be calculated from these respiratory oscillations. In this paper, we investigated the use of a Fourier transform based algorithm to calculate an oxygen saturation measure known as S(osc)O2 which may be a close estimate of the underlying SvO2. S(osc)O2 was calculated using three different frequency ranges, (1) respiratory oscillations only, (2) LFOs only, and (3) both respiratory oscillations and LFOs. At each frequency range S(osc)O2 was calculated using either (1) the modified Beer-Lambert law (MBL) or (2) spatially resolved spectroscopy (SRS). In total six different measurements of S(osc)O2 were investigated here. Experiments were performed in six adult ventilated patients with traumatic brain injury. The patients' inspired oxygen fraction (FiO2) was raised in two hyperoxic phases. The calculated S(osc)O2 values were compared with other cerebral oxygenation measures including an intraparenchymal catheter based brain tissue oxygen tension (PbrO2) and the NIR based tissue oxygenation index (TOI). It was found that the S(osc)O2 calculated using the combined respiratory and LFO frequency range and the SRS method resulted in the highest detection rates of hyperoxic changes. This measure of S(osc)O2 may provide a viable, continuous, non invasive, bedside measure of cerebral venous oxygen saturation.
Advances in experimental medicine and biology 02/2008; 614:235-44. · 1.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Recent advances in near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) allow measurements of absolute tissue oxygen saturation (TOI) using spatially resolved spectroscopy (SRS), while enabling better depth sensitivity. However concerns remain regarding the relative contribution of the extracranial circulation to the cerebral NIRS TOI signal. In this study we investigated this during a period of selective rise in cerebral blood flow (CBF) produced by the administration of acetazolamide (ACZ) in 10 healthy volunteers. A two channel spectrometer (NIRO 300, Hamamatsu Photonics KK) was used to measure absolute cerebral TOI over the frontal cortex using the SRS technique using an optode spacing of 5 cm and 1.5 cm for channel 1 and 2 respectively. After ACZ administration we were able to observe a significant increase in the velocity of middle cerebral artery (V(mca), measured with the transcranial Doppler (TCD)) which was accompanied by an increase in TOI as monitored by the NIRO 300 with an optode spacing of 5 cm but not with an optode spacing of 1.5 cm. Furthermore a direct relationship was seen between the V(mca) and the TOI measured at 5 cm optode spacing. This work suggests that using this commercial NIRS instrument with an optode spacing of 5 cm one is able to detect the intracranial changes.
Advances in experimental medicine and biology 02/2008; 614:389-96. · 1.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been used to measure changes in cerebral oxy- and deoxy- haemoglobin (delta[HbO2], delta[HHb]) in response to functional activation. It has been previously reported that during functional activation of the motor cortex heart rate increases. The aim of this study was to investigate systemic changes during functional activation of the frontal cortex. The responses to anagram presentations with varying difficulty (4-Letters and 7-Letters) over a 6 minute period were recorded. A Hamamatsu NIRO 200 NIRS system recorded delta[HbO2] and delta[HHb] using the modified Beer Lambert law (MBL) and tissue oxygenation index (TOI) employing spatial resolved spectroscopy (SRS) over the left and right frontal hemisphere. Mean blood pressure (MBP) and heart rate (HR) were measured continuously. Nine young healthy volunteers (mean age 23) were included in the analysis. Significant task related changes were observed in both the NIRS and systemic signals during the anagram solving with increases in [HbO2] and [HHb] accompanied by changes in MBP and HR. The [HbO2] and [HHb] signals measured over the frontal region were found to have a varying association with the MBP signal across different volunteers. The effect of these systemic changes on measured NIRS signals must be considered
Advances in experimental medicine and biology 02/2008; 614:397-403. · 1.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To investigate neurocognitive mechanisms associated with task-related expertise development, this paper investigates serial changes in prefrontal activation patterns using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We evaluate cortical function in 62 healthy subjects with varying experience during serial evaluations of a knot-tying task. All tasks were performed bimanually and self paced, with fixed episodes of motor rest for five repetitions. Improvements in technical skill were evaluated using dexterity indices to quantify time, total movements and pathlength required to complete trials. Significant improvements in technical skills were observed in novices between the 2nd and 3rd trials, associated with increasing task familiarity. In trained subjects, minimal fluctuation in task-related oxyhaemoglobin (HbO(2)) and deoxyhaemoglobin (HHb) changes were observed in association with more stable task performance. In contrast, two significant transitions in prefrontal haemodynamic change were observed in novices. Greater task-related increases in HbO(2) and decreases in HHb were identified on the second trial compared to the first. Relative decreases in HbO(2) and increases in HHb change were observed between the third and fourth, and fourth and fifth trials respectively. These data suggest that prefrontal processing across five knot-tying trials is influenced by the level of experience on a task. Modifications in prefrontal activation appear to confer technical performance adaptation in novices.
NeuroImage 02/2008; 39(2):805-13. · 5.89 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We have previously reported changes in the concentrations of oxy-(delta[HbO2]) deoxy- (delta[HHb]) and total haemoglobin (delta[HbT] = delta[HbO2] + delta[HHb]) measured using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) over the frontal cortex (FC) during an anagram solving task. These changes were associated with a significant increase in both mean blood pressure (MBP) and heart rate (HR). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the changes in MBP previously recorded during an anagram solving task produces associated changes in scalp blood flow (flux) measured by laser Doppler and whether any changes are seen in NIRS haemodynamic measurements over a control region of the brain (motor cortex: MC). During the 4-Letter anagram task significant changes were observed in the delta[HbO2], delta[HHb] and delta[HbT] in both the frontal and motor cortex (n = 11, FC p < 0.01, MC p < 0.01). These changes were accompanied by significant changes in both MBP (n = 11, p < 0.01) and scalp flux (n = 9, p = 0.01). During the 7-Letter anagram task significant changes were observed in the delta[HbO2] and delta[HbT] (n = 11, FC p < 0.01, MC p < 0.01), which were accompanied by significant changes in both MBP (n = 11, p = 0.05) and flux (n = 9, p = 0.05). The task-related changes seen in MBP and flux in this study appear to contribute to the changes in the NIRS signals over both the activated and control regions of the cortex.
Advances in experimental medicine and biology 01/2008; 614:21-8. · 1.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A time domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) system is described that uses mid-infrared light (6-8 microm). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first OCT system that operates in the mid-infrared spectral region. It has been designed to characterize bioengineered tissues in terms of their structure and biochemical composition. The system is based upon a free-space Michelson interferometer with a germanium beam splitter and a liquid nitrogen cooled HgCdTe detector. A key component of this work has been the development of a broadband quantum cascade laser source (InGaAs/AlInAs containing 11 different active regions of the three well vertical transition type) that emits continuously over the 6-8 microm wavelength range. This wavelength range corresponds to the so called "mid-infrared fingerprint region" which exhibits well-defined absorption bands that are specifically attributable to the absorbing molecules. Therefore, this technology provides an opportunity for optical coherence molecular imaging without the need for molecular contrast agents. Preliminary measurements are presented.
Review of Scientific Instruments 01/2008; 78(12):123108. · 1.37 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: One hertz transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the motor cortex has been reported to increase activity in the motor cortex contralateral to stimulation, as evidenced by the elevated motor evoked potential on the corresponding hand muscle. Little research, however, has assessed concomitant changes in the haemoglobin level in the unstimulated motor cortex. An aim of this study was to measure the change of oxy- and deoxy-haemoglobin levels in the left motor cortex after 20 min of 1 Hz TMS over the right motor cortex. Subjects carried out a finger to thumb tapping task sequentially with six blocks of ten cycles (30 s on and 60 s off). One block was performed before TMS and five after TMS. The results show that the level of oxyhaemoglobin in the unstimulated cortex increased after TMS over the contralateral hemisphere and that the increase lasted 40 min after 1 Hz stimulation. Deoxy-haemoglobin was slightly decreased during the first 15 min after stimulation. The results identify long term physiological changes resulting from 1 Hz stimulation and help to inform our understanding of interhemispheric interactions in TMS studies.
Experimental Brain Research 09/2007; 181(4):555-60. · 2.39 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Optical tomography is being developed as a means of detecting and specifying disease in the adult female breast. We present a series of clinical three-dimensional optical images obtained with a 32-channel time-resolved system and a liquid-coupled interface. Patients place their breasts in a hemispherical cup to which sources and detectors are coupled, and the remaining space is filled with a highly scattering fluid. A cohort of 38 patients has been scanned, with a variety of benign and malignant lesions. Images show that hypervascularization associated with tumors provides very high contrast due to increased absorption by hemoglobin. Only half of the fibroadenomas scanned could be observed, but of those that could be detected, all but one revealed an apparent increase in blood volume and a decrease in scatter and oxygen saturation.
Applied Optics 07/2007; 46(17):3628-38. · 1.41 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To investigate the accuracy of measuring cerebral blood flow (CBF) using a bolus injection of Indocyanine Green (ICG) detected by near-infrared spectroscopy in adult human heads, simulations were performed using a two-layered model representing the extracerebral and intracerebral layers. Modeled optical data were converted into tissue ICG concentration using either the one-detector modified Beer-Lambert law (MBLL) method, or the two-detector partial path-length (PPL) method. The CBFs were estimated using deconvolution and blood flow index techniques. Using the MBLL method, the CBFs were significantly underestimated but the PPL method improved their accuracy and robustness, especially when used as relative measures. The dispersion of the arterial input function also affected the CBF estimates.
Applied Optics 05/2007; 46(10):1604-14. · 1.41 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: One hertz transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the motor cortex has been reported to increase activity in the motor cortex contralateral to stimulation, as evidenced by the elevated motor evoked potential on the corresponding hand muscle. Little research, however, has assessed concomitant changes in the haemoglobin level in the unstimulated motor cortex. An aim of this study was to measure the change of oxy-and deoxy-haemoglobin levels in the left motor cortex after 20 min of 1 Hz TMS over the right motor cortex. Subjects carried out a Wnger to thumb tapping task sequentially with six blocks of ten cycles (30 s on and 60 s oV). One block was performed before TMS and Wve after TMS. The results show that the level of oxyhae-moglobin in the unstimulated cortex increased after TMS over the contralateral hemisphere and that the increase lasted 40 min after 1 Hz stimulation. Deoxy-haemoglobin was slightly decreased during the Wrst 15 min after stimula-tion. The results identify long term physiological changes resulting from 1 Hz stimulation and help to inform our understanding of interhemispheric interactions in TMS studies.
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ABSTRACT: A hybrid differential and spatially resolved spectroscopy (SRS) technique has been developed to measure absolute absorption coefficient (mu(a)), reduced scattering coefficient (mu'(s)) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) in the adult human head. A spectrometer with both differential and SRS capabilities has been used to carry out measurements in 12 subjects. Two versions of the calculation have been considered using the hybrid technique, with one considering water as a chromophore as well as oxy- and deoxy-haemoglobin, and one ignoring water. The CBV has also been measured using a previously described technique based on changing the arterial saturation (SaO(2)) measured separately by a pulse oximeter, resulting in mean +/- SD CBV(a) (intra-individual coefficient of variation) = 2.22 +/- 1.06 ml/100 g (29.9%). (The superscript on CBV indicates the different calculation basis.) Using the hybrid technique with water ignored, CBV(0) = 3.18 +/- 0.73 ml/100 g (10.0%), mu(0)(a)(813 nm) = 0.010 +/- 0.003 mm(-1) and mu'(0)(s)(813 nm) = 1.19 +/- 0.55 mm(-1) (data quoted at 813 nm). With water considered, CBV(w) = 3.05 +/- 0.77 ml/100 g (10.5%), mu(w)(a)(813 nm) = 0.010 +/- 0.003 mm(-1) and mu'(w)(s)(813 nm) = 1.28 +/- 0.56 mm(-1). The mean biases between CBV(0)/CBV(w), CBV(0)/CBV(a) and CBV(w)/CBV(a) are 0.14 +/- 0.09, 0.79 +/- 1.22 and 0.65 +/- 1.24 ml/100 g. The mean biases between mu(0)(a)(813 nm)/mu(w)(a)(813 nm) and mu'(0)(s)(813 nm)/mu'(w)(s)(813 nm) are (5.9 +/- 10.0) x 10(-4) mm(-1) and -0.084 +/- 0.266 mm(-1), respectively. The method we describe extends the functionality of the current SRS instrumentation.
Physics in Medicine and Biology 03/2006; 51(3):703-17. · 2.83 Impact Factor
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Advances in experimental medicine and biology 02/2006; 578:237-43. · 1.09 Impact Factor
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Advances in experimental medicine and biology 02/2006; 578:209-15. · 1.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The interest in, and the need for effective measures to be used in screening, diagnosis, and the follow-up of skeletal pathologies is growing markedly. This paper proposes a completely new and non-invasive technique allowing the study of the human tibia bone marrow (BM) haemodynamics with a time resolution of 1 s. The technique, based on near infrared spectroscopy, is sensitive enough to allow the detection of BM blood volume and/or oxygen saturation changes during orthostatic variations imposed by a tilt bed. An increase in the slope of the bed of 15 degrees is sufficient to detect this phenomenon. The ability to study the possible presence of a neural control of BM haemodynamics is also discussed. No other existing technique currently allows one to obtain the proposed results and this approach might open up a new field of study related to human BM physiology.
Journal of PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 02/2006; 25(1):1-6.
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ABSTRACT: The non-invasive measurement of cerebral oxy- (DeltaHbO(br)2) and deoxy-haemoglobin (DeltaHHb(br)) changes using near-infrared spectroscopy instruments is often affected by the absorption in the extracerebral layer. We have exploited the multivariate calibration (partial least squares, PLS) method to minimize the errors for a range of blood volume, oxygen saturation and extracerebral layer thicknesses. The changes in the mean time of flight of photons (Delta tau) and attenuation (DeltaA) on the surface of a 3D adult head model were simulated using a finite-element method based on the diffusion equation. The PLS was then performed to identify the optimal number of detectors, their positions and weightings, to optimize the estimation of DeltaHbO(br)2 and DeltaHHb(br). We define the 'nominal accuracy' as the accuracy of estimating DeltaHbO(br)2 and DeltaHHb(br) over a nominal range of extracerebral layer thicknesses and 'robustness' as the accuracy beyond the nominal range. The results showed that for one or two detectors, Delta tau performed better than DeltaA while using them together gave the best performance. When more detectors were used, the performances of using Delta tau, DeltaA or both together became comparable, showing that a larger number of detectors can compensate for the performance of a simple DeltaA measurement despite this measurement having a relatively lower sensitivity to intracerebral absorption changes.
Physics in Medicine and Biology 01/2006; 50(24):5783-98. · 2.83 Impact Factor
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Medical Imaging and Augmented Reality, MIAR 2006, Third International Workshop, Shanghai, China, August 17-18, 2006, Proceedings; 01/2006
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ABSTRACT: Most research in optical imaging incorrectly assumes that light transport in nonscattering regions in the head may be modeled by use of the diffusion approximation. The effect of this assumption is examined in a series of experiments on tissue-equivalent phantoms. Images from cylindrical and head-shaped phantoms with and without clear regions [simulating the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) filled ventricles] and a clear layer (simulating the CSF layer surrounding the brain) are reconstructed with linear and nonlinear reconstruction techniques. The results suggest that absorbing and scattering perturbations can be identified reliably with nonlinear reconstruction methods when the clear regions are also present in the reference data but that the quality of the image degrades considerably if the reference data does not contain these features. Linear reconstruction performs similarly to nonlinear reconstruction, provided the clear regions are present in the reference data, but otherwise linear reconstruction fails. This study supports the use of linear reconstruction for dynamic imaging but suggests that, in all cases, image quality is likely to improve if the clear regions are modeled correctly.
Applied Optics 08/2005; 44(19):3925-36. · 1.41 Impact Factor
