Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Reveals Reduced Interhemispheric Cortical Communication after Pediatric Concussion
Date
2015-06-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert
Abstract
Concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a growing concern, especially among the pediatric population. By
age 25, as many as 30% of the population are likely to have had a concussion. Many result in long-term disability, with
some evolving to postconcussion syndrome. Treatments are being developed, but are difficult to assess given the lack of
measures to quantitatively monitor concussion. There is no accepted quantitative imaging metric for monitoring concussion.
We hypothesized that because cognitive function and fiber tracks are often impacted in concussion, interhemispheric
brain communication may be impaired. We used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to quantify
functional coherence between the left and right motor cortex as a marker of interhemispheric communication. Studies
were undertaken during the resting state and with a finger-tapping task to activate the motor cortex. Pediatric patients (ages
12–18) had symptoms for 31–473 days, compared to controls, who have not had reported a previous concussion. We
detected differences between patients and controls in coherence between the contralateral motor cortices using measurements
of total hemoglobin and oxy-hemoglobin with a p < 0.01 (n = 8, control; n = 12 mTBI). Given the critical need
for a quantitative biomarker for recovery after a concussion, we present these data to highlight the potential of fNIRS
coupled with interhemispheric coherence analysis as a biomarker of concussion injury.
Description
Final publication is available from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/neu.2014.3577
Keywords
coherence, concussion, fNIRS, mild traumatic brain injury, near infrared spectroscopy