Mild cognitive impairment estimation based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Gerontology

Background:

• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) significantly increases dementia risk.
• Early detection and intervention are crucial for managing dementia progression.
• Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers a noninvasive method to assess brain hemodynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an effective method for detecting MCI using fNIRS.
• To evaluate changes in prefrontal cortex blood oxygenation during cognitive tasks in MCI patients.
• To correlate fNIRS findings with cognitive status.

Main Methods:

• Utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to monitor prefrontal cortex oxygenation.
• Employed a modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (MCST) as a cognitive challenge.
• Compared fNIRS data across groups with varying cognitive function, including MCI and stroke patients.

Main Results:

• Lower Mini-Mental State Examination scores correlated with increased deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) concentration during the MCST.
• The stroke group exhibited a diminished increase in oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) concentration compared to controls, indicating reduced cerebrovascular reactivity.

Conclusions:

• fNIRS can detect hemodynamic alterations associated with cognitive impairment.
• Cerebrovascular reactivity, measurable by fNIRS, may be compromised in conditions like stroke, impacting cognitive performance.
• fNIRS combined with cognitive testing shows promise for early MCI detection.