Measurement of brain activation during an upright stepping reaction task using functional near‐infrared spectroscopy

Abstract

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive brain imaging technology that uses light to measure changes in cortical hemoglobin concentrations. FNIRS measurements are recorded through fiber optic cables, which allow the participant to wear the fNIRS sensors while standing upright. Thus, fNIRS technology is well suited to study cortical brain activity during upright balance, stepping, and gait tasks. In this study, fNIRS was used to measure changes in brain activation from the frontal, motor, and premotor brain regions during an upright step task that required subjects to step laterally in response to visual cues that required executive function control. We hypothesized that cognitive processing during complex stepping cues would elicit brain activation of the frontal cortex in areas involved in cognition. Our results show increased prefrontal activation associated with the processing of the stepping cues. Moreover, these results demonstrate the potential to use fNIRS to investigate cognitive processing during cognitively demanding balance and gait studies. Hum Brain Mapp 34:2817–2828, 2013. VC 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) brain imaging of multi-sensory integration during computerized dynamic posturography in middle-aged and older adults

“…Several studies have suggested that fNIRS has high temporal and spatial correlation with MRI during brain hemodynamic changes (Huppert et al 2006a, b). Applying fNIRS to study balance control has shown that the different cortical areas play different roles in postural control (Mihara et al 2008; Karim et al 2012, 2013a; Huppert et al 2013). The prefrontal cortex has been associated with dual-task stepping choices (Huppert et al 2013) and visuospatial attention cues during perturbations in the anteroposterior direction (Mihara et al 2008).…”

“…Applying fNIRS to study balance control has shown that the different cortical areas play different roles in postural control (Mihara et al 2008; Karim et al 2012, 2013a; Huppert et al 2013). The prefrontal cortex has been associated with dual-task stepping choices (Huppert et al 2013) and visuospatial attention cues during perturbations in the anteroposterior direction (Mihara et al 2008). Studies also confirmed the regions involved with multi-sensory integration using fNIRS (Karim et al 2012, 2013a).…”

Neuroimaging of Human Balance Control: A Systematic Review

“…Huppert et al (2013) required subjects to step left or right according to incongruent information (conflicting location and direction of arrow on screen) or congruent information (location and arrow matched), and found increased activation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, premotor cortex, supplemental motor area, and precentral gyrus in incongruent trials, which require more attentional control. Lin and Lin (2016) had subjects walk over ground on wide, narrow, or obstacle pathways and with or without a cognitive load (n-back task), and found a decrease in prefrontal cortex activation at higher cognitive loads, similar to Beurskens et al (2014) and Shimada et al (2013).…”

Functional brain imaging of multi-sensory vestibular processing during computerized dynamic posturography using near-infrared spectroscopy

“…Unlike fMRI, fNIRS is a portable technique that uses fiber optic cables mounted in a wearable head cap. This lightweight head cap allows imaging of the brain even during ambulatory movement and has previously been used to record brain activity during cued stepping (Huppert et al, 2012), walking (Miyai et al, 2001; Suzuki et al, 2008), and balance (Karim et al, 2011) studies. The purpose of this study was to record changes in brain activity in healthy volunteer participants, using fNIRS during the four vestibular SOT conditions.…”