Optical brain imaging and its application to neurofeedback

NeuroImage Clinical, vol. 30, pp. 102577

Abstract

Besides passive recording of brain electric or magnetic activity, also non-ionizing electromagnetic or optical radiation can be used for real-time brain imaging. Here, changes in the radiation's absorption or scattering allow for continuous in vivo assessment of regional neurometabolic and neurovascular activity. Besides magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), over the last years, also functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was successfully established in real-time metabolic brain imaging. In contrast to MRI, fNIRS is portable and can be applied at bedside or in everyday life environments, e.g., to restore communication and movement. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of the history and state-of-the-art of real-time optical brain imaging with a special emphasis on its clinical use towards neurofeedback and brain-computer interface (BCI) applications. Besides pointing to the most critical challenges in clinical use, also novel approaches that combine real-time optical neuroimaging with other recording modalities (e.g. electro- or magnetoencephalography) are described, and their use in the context of neuroergonomics, neuroenhancement or neuroadaptive systems discussed.

Authors 4

1. Surjo Raphael Soekadar corresponding

   Stiftung Charité · Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

   Affiliation as printed

   Clinical Neurotechnology Laboratory, Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Neuroscience Research Center, Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Charité - University Medicine of Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: surjo.soekadar@charite.de

   Clinical Neurotechnology Laboratory, Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Neuroscience Research Center, Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Charité – University Medicine of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

2. Simon H. Kohl Aachen Child Neuropsychology Section Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Medical Faculty

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   JARA-Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany; Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Germany

   Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Germany

   JARA-Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany

3. Masahito Mihara

   Kawasaki Medical School

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Neurology, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki-City, Okayama, Japan

4. Alexander von Lühmann

   Boston University · Technische Universität Berlin

   Affiliation as printed

   Machine Learning Department, Computer Science, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Neurophotonics Center, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, USA

   Machine Learning Department, Computer Science, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

   Neurophotonics Center, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, USA