Evaluating prefrontal changes in depression using functional near-infrared spectroscopy utilizing Stroop test: A...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a portable brain imaging technique used to study cognitive activity.
• The Stroop test is a standard tool for assessing information selection impairments, particularly in depression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare cortical activation patterns during the Stroop test between individuals with depression and healthy controls.
• To investigate differences in brain activity related to cognitive processing in depression.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 39 individuals with depression and 40 healthy controls.
• Utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure oxyhemoglobin (OxyHb) concentration changes during a Stroop test.
• Employed statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Individuals with depression exhibited significantly longer reaction times for correct responses compared to healthy controls.
• Both groups showed deactivation in the left middle frontal sulcus and frontopolar area during incongruent versus congruent tasks.
• The depressed group displayed a greater mean change in OxyHb concentration following incongruent stimuli.

Conclusions:

• Depression is associated with prolonged reaction times and distinct frontal cortex activation patterns during cognitive tasks.
• fNIRS is a valuable tool for assessing brain activity and identifying neurophysiological differences in depression.
• Findings align with previous research, reinforcing the utility of fNIRS in cognitive neuroscience.