scholarly journals 161 Brain Activation Assessed with Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (FNIRS) During Stepping and Gait in Older People and Those with PD

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. iv34-iv39
Author(s):  
Jasmine Menant ◽  
Paulo Pelicioni ◽  
Yoshiro Okubo ◽  
Colleen Canning ◽  
Daina Sturnieks ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and Aim Past research has shown that compared with healthy peers, people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) generate poorer stepping responses and display reduced ability to adapt gait to unexpected targets and obstacles. However, the neural basis of these impairments in PD is unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate cortical activation in pre-frontal and motor areas using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during stepping and gait adaptability in people with PD, compared with healthy adults. Methods Forty-four people with PD (>40 years, Hoen & Yahr stage 1-3) and 44 healthy age and sex-matched healthy adults performed three cognitively-demanding stepping tasks and a test of gait adaptability. We recorded relative changes in oxy-haemoglobin (HbO) and deoxy-haemoglobin (HbR) concentrations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, supplementary motor area, premotor cortex and primary cortex using fNIRS. Results Data collection is ongoing with >75% participants already assessed. We will conduct between group-comparisons to compare HbO and HbR concentrations in the selected regions of interest in the stepping and the gait adaptability tests. Physical and cognitive predictors of brain activation in each task in each group will also be computed using regression models. Conclusion Based on the results of our recent systematic review of fNIRS-recorded brain activation during walking tasks (1), we hypothesise that compared with healthy-aged matched peers, people with PD will show increased prefrontal and motor cortices activation during stepping and gait adaptability tests. This would suggest that people with PD require more attentional resources for safe walking. Reference (1) Pelicioni et al. Prefrontal cortical activation measured by fNIRS during walking: effects of age, disease and secondary task. Peer J 2019; 7: e6833.

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seung Hyun Lee ◽  
Sang Hyeon Jin ◽  
Jinung An

Abstract The human brain is lateralized to dominant or non-dominant hemispheres, and controlled through large-scale neural networks between correlated cortical regions. Recently, many neuroimaging studies have been conducted to examine the origin of brain lateralization, but this is still unclear. In this study, we examined the differences in brain activation in subjects according to dominant and non-dominant hands while using chopsticks. Fifteen healthy right-handed subjects were recruited to perform tasks which included transferring almonds using stainless steel chopsticks. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to acquire the hemodynamic response over the primary sensory-motor cortex (SM1), premotor area (PMC), supplementary motor area (SMA), and frontal cortex. We measured the concentrations of oxy-hemoglobin and deoxy-hemoglobin induced during the use of chopsticks with dominant and non-dominant hands. While using the dominant hand, brain activation was observed on the contralateral side. While using the non-dominant hand, brain activation was observed on the ipsilateral side as well as the contralateral side. These results demonstrate dominance and functional asymmetry of the cerebral hemisphere.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Jin Zi Li ◽  
Yih Wong ◽  
Birgitta Langhammer ◽  
Fu Biao Huang ◽  
Xiao Xia Du ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The recovery of upper extremity motor deficits represents a functional challenge for persons with stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mechanisms of Unilateral task-oriented training combined with dynamic hand orthosis for the recovery in subacute stroke by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods This was a pilot randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded trial. A total sample of 30 subacute persons with stroke were randomized into two groups: the orthosis group and the usual exercise group. All participants received four weeks (60 min/day, 5 days/week) of unilateral upper limb training. The orthosis group wore a dynamic hand orthosis during half the training (30 min/day). O2Hb concentrations and a laterality index for bilateral premotor cortex, sensorimotor cortex by fNIRS were calculated as outcome indicators that were measured at baseline and 4 weeks after the interventions. Clinical outcomes were collected for correlation analysis. Results No significant difference in O2Hb concentrations change between two groups. Cortical activation shifted from the ipsilateral to the contralateral premotor cortex and from the contralateral to the ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex in both groups. In the Orthosis group, the change of Fugl-Meyer Assessment of arm score was positively correlated to the shift to contralateral premotor cortex activation and the change of Action Research Arm Test score was positively correlated to the shift to ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex activation. In the UL group, a negative correlation was observed between the shift to ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex and changes of Fugl-Meyer Assessment of arm score. Conclusion This is the first fNIRS study to explore the mechanism of recovery in subacute stroke after utilizing unilateral task-oriented training and a dynamic orthosis. The current results suggest that fNIRS combined with clinical tests may be useful to evaluate the mechanism of stroke recovery after different rehabilitation interventions. Trial registration: Registered on January 11, 2018 at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03396939). https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/home.


Photonics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quaresima ◽  
Ferrari

This mini-review is aimed at briefly summarizing the present status of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and predicting where the technique should go in the next decade. This mini-review quotes 33 articles on the different fNIRS basics and technical developments and 44 reviews on the fNIRS applications published in the last eight years. The huge number of review articles about a wide spectrum of topics in the field of cognitive and social sciences, functional neuroimaging research, and medicine testifies to the maturity achieved by this non-invasive optical vascular-based functional neuroimaging technique. Today, fNIRS has started to be utilized on healthy subjects while moving freely in different naturalistic settings. Further instrumental developments are expected to be done in the near future to fully satisfy this latter important aspect. In addition, fNIRS procedures, including correction methods for the strong extracranial interferences, need to be standardized before using fNIRS as a clinical tool in individual patients. New research avenues such as interactive neurosciences, cortical activation modulated by different type of sport performance, and cortical activation during neurofeedback training are highlighted.


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