Home » sfNIRS2024-Session-1
Category Archives: sfNIRS2024-Session-1
Fr-048-Illumind: An Accessible, Flexible Graphical User Interface for Hemodynamic and Fluorescent Widefield Imaging
In order to make widefield optical imaging (WOI) accessible to a wide range of neuroscience laboratories, acquisition software must become user-friendly. We have replaced vendor-specific interfaces and the MATLAB command line with an integrated graphical user interface, termed Illumind. This program integrates with hardware to automatically determine system capabilities. Hemodynamic and fluorescence imaging are easily performed with automated calibration and error handling. Illumind reduces the training needed prior to performing WOI imaging. Modularity allows for integration of new camera hardware and fluorophores. Standardized metadata with JSON files enables streamlined integration with flexible processing. Continue reading
Fr-077-The Acting Self: using LIGHTNIRS to measure self-other activations in professional actors
An actor’s characterisation approach affects their intended character embodiment, hence sense of self. One way to measure the sense of self is by measuring mPFC activation whilst hearing your own name (Greaves & Pinti et al., 2022; Imafuku et al., 2014). Participants were 38 UK-based professional actors with 2+ years of industry experience. Name call events (own name, character name & stranger name) occurred whilst actors performed a monologue and two control tasks. PFC activity was recorded with a 22 channel Shimadzu LIGHTNIRS system. Findings revealed higher mPFC activity hearing ‘own name’ vs ‘stranger name’ in the monologue condition. Continue reading
Fr-054-Diffuse Optical Monitoring of Cytochrome C Oxidase and Hemodynamics during Drug-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Swine
We integrated broadband and frequency-domain diffuse optical spectroscopy to monitor cerebral oxidized cytochrome-c-oxidase (oxCCO) and oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) during drug-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in swine. Swine infused with rotenone to inhibit mitochondrial Complex I were treated with a novel succinate prodrug or placebo. An invasive microdialysis lactate-pyruvate ratio (LPR) metric of metabolism was also acquired. No changes in oxCCO or OEF were observed in the placebo group. In the treatment group, increased oxCCO and decreased OEF were observed, and these changes correlated with increased LPR. Results suggest oxCCO and OEF are sensitive to mitochondrial impairment during non-ischemic conditions. Continue reading
Fr-055-Effects of Motor Awareness on Peripheral Muscle Blood Flow at the Onset of Exercise
Central command originating from the brain to the skeletal muscles alter the systemic circulatory system to increase blood flow to active muscles. Attention to the active muscles during exercise may lead to improvements in exercise efficiency and performance. However, the hemodynamic effects of directing attention to active muscles are unclear. Using diffuse correlation spectroscopy, we investigated the effect of awareness of active muscles on peripheral hemodynamics. Our results demonstrate that motor awareness significantly increased active muscle blood flow immediately after the onset of exercise. Continue reading
Fr-058-Resting state functional connectivity at birth in very preterm neonates: Preliminary results on its relation with glucose variability and neurodevelopmental outcome
Neurodevelopmental outcome in very preterm neonates might be impaired and this impairment might be moderated by glucose variability at birth. Here, we monitored very preterm babies at birth with DOT and continuous glucose monitoring and followed them up at 12 and 24 months of age. Changes in resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) matrices were correlated with glucose variability metrics and neurodevelopmental outcome. We found a positive correlation between RSFC changes in fronto-parietal network and glucose variability and some preliminary other correlations between RSFC and behavioral metrics at follow-up, suggesting a possible biomarker role for RSFC at birth. Continue reading
Fr-053-Association between early-life pesticide exposure and brain functional connectivity and working memory in adolescents
We examined the association between early-life OP pesticide exposure and fNIRS-measured functional connectivity in 291 Mexican American adolescents. Results indicated that adolescent males with elevated childhood OP pesticide exposure may have altered brain regional connectivity between the right interior frontal and premotor cortex. This altered neurofunctional pattern may partially mediate working memory impairment associated with childhood DAP exposure. Continue reading
Fr-062-Assessing empathy in preschoolers with a naturalistic fNIRS/virtual-reality task
In this work, we designed a VR task to assess preschoolers’ empathy. We measure brain activations of 3-to-5-year-olds while interacting with toddler-avatars in a virtual playground during emotional and neutral scenarios. Preliminary results showed greater activations of regions related to empathy for emotional relevant compared to neutral scenarios, and greater responses for emotionally relevant scenarios in the VR task compared those in a standard computerized task. Advantages and challenges of designing fNIRS/VR tasks with preschoolers will be discussed. Continue reading
Fr-041-Longitudinal insights into motor coordination and neural synchrony within and between generations
Intergenerational social interactions hold potential to improve social connectedness and wellbeing for all involved. To understand and maximise these social benefits, this work examines the development of neural synchrony and motor coordination, alongside changes in social wellbeing, in same-generation and intergenerational pairs across six social interactions. This ongoing research demonstrates that self-reported loneliness decreases and closeness within pairs increases across six sessions. Comparing the first and sixth sessions, behavioural indices of collaboration stay stable for same-generation pairs and improve for intergenerational pairs. Analyses of neural synchrony and motor coordination will assess changes across repeated collaborative interactions within and between generations. Continue reading
Fr-042-Changes in cortical hemodynamics after an individually tailored virtual reality intervention in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder – An intervention protocol
Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) often experience postural control problems, situated in the different systems of postural control. Therefore, we propose an individualized training approach based on the child’s specific postural control profile. Interventions in children with DCD can modulate brain activity, measurable with functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy while performing balance tasks. The central aim is to provide novel insights on neurophysiological processes and the potential neuroplastic changes after a postural control intervention in children with DCD. This protocol introduces a new type of intervention providing insights in the changes in brain activity in children with DCD after intervention. Continue reading
Fr-033-Evaluating neurologic recovery following acute injury: measuring residual brain activity using fNIRS
This study explores whether fNIRS can be used to predict outcomes of acutely brain-injured patients. Fourteen non-responsive patients were recruited after admission to the intensive care unit. Patients’ residual task-based brain activity was measured at the bedside using a 129-channel fNIRS system while they listened to different movie narratives. Using three validated analysis methods, between 20-36% of patients’ movie-related neural responses were statistically similar to controls (n =51). While most outcomes are undetermined pending ongoing data collection, the results provide early support for this methodology, as the degree of similarity was shown to be prognostic in two patients. Continue reading