Using preregistration as a tool for transparent fNIRS study design

Neurophotonics, vol. 10, pp. 1–26

Abstract

Significance: The expansion of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) methodology and analysis tools gives rise to various design and analytical decisions that researchers have to make. Several recent efforts have developed guidelines for preprocessing, analyzing, and reporting practices. For the planning stage of fNIRS studies, similar guidance is desirable. Study preregistration helps researchers to transparently document study protocols before conducting the study, including materials, methods, and analyses, and thus, others to verify, understand, and reproduce a study. Preregistration can thus serve as a useful tool for transparent, careful, and comprehensive fNIRS study design. Aim: We aim to create a guide on the design and analysis steps involved in fNIRS studies and to provide a preregistration template specified for fNIRS studies. Approach: The presented preregistration guide has a strong focus on fNIRS specific requirements, and the associated template provides examples based on continuous-wave (CW) fNIRS studies conducted in humans. These can, however, be extended to other types of fNIRS studies. Results: On a step-by-step basis, we walk the fNIRS user through key methodological and analysis-related aspects central to a comprehensive fNIRS study design. These include items specific to the design of CW, task-based fNIRS studies, but also sections that are of general importance, including an in-depth elaboration on sample size planning. Conclusions: Our guide introduces these open science tools to the fNIRS community, providing researchers with an overview of key design aspects and specification recommendations for comprehensive study planning. As such it can be used as a template to preregister fNIRS studies or merely as a tool for transparent fNIRS study design.

Authors 8

1. Philipp Alexander Schroeder corresponding

   University of Tübingen

   Affiliation as printed

   Eberhard Karls Univ. Tübingen

   Equal contribution and in randomized order

   University of Tuebingen, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, Tuebingen, Germany

2. Christina Artemenko corresponding

   University of Tübingen

   Affiliation as printed

   Eberhard Karls Univ. Tübingen

   Equal contribution and in randomized order

   University of Tuebingen, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, Tuebingen, Germany

3. Jessica Elizabeth Kosie corresponding

   Princeton University

   Affiliation as printed

   Princeton Univ

   Equal contribution and in randomized order

   Princeton University, Social and Natural Sciences, Department of Psychology, Princeton, New Jersey, United States

4. Helena M. Cockx corresponding

   Radboud University Nijmegen · Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour

   Affiliation as printed

   Radboud Univ. Nijmegen

   Equal contribution and in randomized order

   Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Biophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

5. Katharina Stute corresponding

   Chemnitz University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Technische Univ. Chemnitz

   Chemnitz University of Technology, Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, Chemnitz, Germany

   Equal contribution and in randomized order

6. João Pereira corresponding

   University of Coimbra

   Affiliation as printed

   Univ. de Coimbra

   Equal contribution and in randomized order

   University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, Coimbra, Portugal

7. Franziska Klein corresponding Aachen

   Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Carl von Ossietzky Univ. Oldenburg

   Equal contribution and in randomized order

   RWTH Aachen Univ. (Germany)

   University of Oldenburg, Department of Psychology, Neurocognition and functional Neurorehabilitation Group, Oldenburg (Oldb), Germany

8. David M. A. Mehler corresponding Aachen Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen Univ

   Equal contribution and in randomized order

   RWTH Aachen University, Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Aachen, Germany