Increase in prefrontal cortex blood flow during the computer version trail making test

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Previous research using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) indicated changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (oxyHb) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (deoxyHb) during the paper version of the Trail Making Test (TMT).
• The TMT is a neuropsychological assessment tool used to evaluate cognitive and executive functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate hemodynamic responses in the prefrontal cortex during the computer version of the TMT using NIRS.
• To compare the involvement of the prefrontal cortex in different versions of the TMT.

Main Methods:

• Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was employed to measure oxyHb and deoxyHb concentrations in the prefrontal cortex.
• Healthy students performed either TMT-A followed by TMT-B, or TMT-B followed by TMT-A.
• Hemoglobin concentrations were analyzed at intervals before, during, and after TMT performance using ANOVA.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in oxyHb and a decrease in deoxyHb were observed in the bilateral prefrontal cortices during TMT performance.
• The increase in oxyHb was more pronounced during TMT-B compared to TMT-A.
• A significant order effect was noted for the change in deoxyHb, but not for oxyHb.

Conclusions:

• The study demonstrates increased blood flow in the prefrontal cortex during the computer version of the TMT.
• The findings suggest that bilateral prefrontal cortices are actively engaged during the performance of the computer version of the TMT.
• Hemodynamic changes observed with NIRS provide insights into the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive task performance.