Cerebral functional imaging using near-infrared spectroscopy during repeated performances of motor rehabilitation tasks tested on healthy subjects

Abstract

To investigate the relationship between the frontal and sensorimotor cortices and motor learning, hemodynamic responses were recorded from the frontal and sensorimotor cortices using functional near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) while healthy subjects performed motor learning tasks used in rehabilitation medicine. Whole-head NIRS recordings indicated that response latencies in the anterior dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (aDMPFC) were shorter than in other frontal and parietal areas. Furthermore, the increment rate of the hemodynamic responses in the aDMPFC across the eight repeated trials significantly correlated with those in the other areas, as well as with the improvement rate of task performance across the 8 repeated trials. In the second experiment, to dissociate scalp- and brain-derived hemodynamic responses, hemodynamic responses were recorded from the head over the aDMPFC using a multi-distance probe arrangement. Six probes (a single source probe and 5 detectors) were linearly placed 6 mm apart from each of the neighboring probes. Using independent component analyses of hemodynamic signals from the 5 source-detector pairs, we dissociated scalp- and brain-derived components of the hemodynamic responses. Hemodynamic responses corrected for scalp-derived responses over the aDMPFC significantly increased across the 8 trials and correlated with task performance. In the third experiment, subjects were required to perform the same task with and without transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the aDMPFC before the task. The tDCS significantly improved task performance. These results indicate that the aDMPFC is crucial for improved performance in repetitive motor learning.

Frontoparietal neurostimulation modulates working memory training benefits and oscillatory synchronization

“…Several recent experiments paired tDCS with neuroimaging techniques such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS; Ishikuro, et al, 2014; Jones, Gozenman, et al, 2015; Khan, et al, 2013; McKendrick, Parasuraman, & Ayaz, 2015; Merzagora, et al, 2010; Muthalib, Besson, Rothwell, Ward, & Perrey, 2016; Muthalib, Kan, Nosaka, & Perrey, 2013), or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI; Alon, Roys, Gullapalli, & Greenspan, 2011; Antal, Polania, Schmidt-Samoa, Dechent, & Paulus, 2011; Holland, et al, 2011; Kwon & Jang, 2011) to investigate neural changes after tDCS. These data lead to the interpretation that tDCS improves the efficiency of task relevant neural networks.…”

Detecting Motor Learning-Related fNIRS Activity by Applying Removal of Systemic Interferences

“…Because of the advantages of fNIRS, as described above, many previous studies have conducted motor learning experiments with fNIRS measurement and have reported learning-related cerebral activity in sensorimotor and prefrontal cortices [3]- [8]. However, few studies have considered the influences of scalp artifacts [8]. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine such influences on the broad measurement of motor learning activity using multiple channels.…”

“…Thus, our results showed a reasonable spatial pattern of activity and hemoglobin profiles, supporting effective removal of the scalp artifact by our method. Because of the advantages of fNIRS, as described above, many previous studies have conducted motor learning experiments with fNIRS measurement and have reported learning-related cerebral activity in sensorimotor and prefrontal cortices [3]- [8]. However, few studies have considered the influences of scalp artifacts [8].…”

“…fNIRS has several advantages including minimal constraint, resistance to electrical artifacts, and portability. For these reasons, fNIRS has been used for evaluation during motor learning in many studies [3]- [8].…”

Progressive Co-adaptation in Human-Machine Interaction

“…In Hoey et al (Hoey et al, 2010), for example, a vision-based system for automated handwashing assistance monitored the psychological state of a person with dementia to adapt accordingly. An alternative, indirect estimate of activity can be obtained by monitoring brain activity through EEG or Nearinfrared spectroscopy (Ishikuro et al, 2014).…”