Multimodal electroencephalography and near-infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging measurement and analysis.

摘要

This project focuses on the development of research tools and methods that are used to study the relationship between neural activity and subsequent hemodynamic responses in the human brain. This relationship, referred to as neurovascular coupling, involves complex interactions between neurons, glial cells and vascular endothelial cells. Noninvasive functional neuroimaging studies that combine multiple modalities can be used to study neurovascular coupling to identify its characteristics in various populations. Neurovsacular coupling has been studied using a variety of combinations of brain imaging systems such as electroencephalography (EEG), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), magnetoencephalography (MEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and positron emission tomography (PET), among others. It has been studied to gain a better understanding of brain function, and to better understand a variety of neurodegenerative diseases and the mechanisms that affect cognitive function.;We have developed a noninvasive head probe that combines NIRS and EEG to monitor and record neurovascular brain activity with whole head coverage. It is low cost, easy to use, fabricate, and assemble, and is designed and manufactured for compatibility with MRI and MEG. In addition, we have devoted significant efforts towards design optimization of the components to maximize performance metrics, such as electrical and optical connectivity, positioning accuracy and precision, and to minimize issues with mechanical stability or reusability. We have also developed simulation software to optimize probe design by automatically computing the coordinates of all electrode and optode positions on a surface mesh of a head. Finally, we completed an analysis of joint forward and inverse models for combined EEG and NIRS. These models contain all the necessary data to perform tomographic reconstructions of measurement data recorded using the NIRS-EEG head probe. They also show the correspondence between the sensitivity of EEG and NIRS to the brain.;The research tools developed in this project provide an integrated human interface and software tools for the investigation of fundamental questions regarding neurovascular coupling using multimodal EEG and NIRS.