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The Use of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Differentiate Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Impairment

Catherine E Barrett1, Julie A Kable1,2, Teresa E Madsen1

  • 1a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA.

Developmental Neuropsychology
|January 22, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) show distinct prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity during cognitive inhibition tasks. Their PFC exhibits reduced oxygenated hemoglobin and increased deoxygenated hemoglobin, indicating altered brain function.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroimaging

Background:

  • Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is linked to neurodevelopmental deficits.
  • Cognitive inhibition is frequently impaired in children with PAE.
  • Prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity is crucial for cognitive control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate PFC activity differences in children with PAE during a cognitive inhibition task.
  • To compare PFC function in children with PAE to typically developing controls and children with other neurobehavioral problems.
  • To identify neuroimaging biomarkers distinguishing PAE.

Main Methods:

  • Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured oxygenated (HBO) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (HBR) levels in the PFC.
  • Participants included children with PAE (n=26), typically developing controls (n=19), and a contrast group (n=14).
  • A cognitive inhibition task was employed to assess PFC function under varying cognitive demands.

Main Results:

  • Children with PAE showed increased PFC activity in a non-inhibitory condition compared to controls.
  • In the inhibitory condition, the PAE group exhibited reduced PFC HBO and increased HBR.
  • These findings suggest insufficient oxygen supply relative to consumption in the PFC of children with PAE during inhibition.

Conclusions:

  • PFC activity patterns during cognitive inhibition can distinguish children with PAE from control groups.
  • Altered hemodynamic responses in the PFC of children with PAE indicate impaired neural function.
  • fNIRS may serve as a valuable tool for identifying neurobiological correlates of PAE.

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