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Updated: May 7, 2026
Exploring Cognitive Functions in Babies, Children & Adults with Near Infrared Spectroscopy
Published on: July 28, 2009
Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy: A Promising Tool for Brain Function Mapping in Children with Autism Spectrum
Arya Maniyan Lathikakumari1, Chandrasekharan Kesavadas2, Bejoy Thomas2
1Pediatric Neurology and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Department of Neurology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers a promising approach to studying brain connectivity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This review details fNIRS applications in children with ASD, examining resting states and tasks like joint attention and emotion recognition.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves impaired social interaction, communication, and stereotyped behaviors, often linked to specific brain region dysfunctions.
- Key affected brain areas include the mesial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, superior temporal sulcus (STS), and temporoparietal junction.
- Dysfunctional brain connectivity is a hallmark of ASD, identified through various neuroimaging techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the application and effectiveness of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in studying brain connectivity in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- To outline the principles, technology, advantages, and limitations of fNIRS for ASD research.
- To summarize fNIRS findings in children with ASD during resting states and specific cognitive tasks.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on fNIRS studies in individuals with ASD.
- Explanation of fNIRS technology and its underlying principles for measuring hemodynamic responses.
- Categorization of studies based on participant age (infants, children, adults) and experimental conditions (rest, tasks).
Main Results:
- fNIRS has been increasingly utilized over the past decade to investigate brain activity and connectivity in ASD.
- Studies have explored fNIRS in children with ASD during resting states and tasks involving joint attention, emotion recognition, and language processing.
- fNIRS provides insights into hemodynamic brain responses and connectivity patterns relevant to ASD.
Conclusions:
- fNIRS is a valuable, non-invasive neuroimaging tool for studying brain function and connectivity in ASD across different age groups.
- The technique offers advantages over traditional methods like fMRI, particularly in awake individuals.
- Further research using fNIRS can enhance our understanding of ASD pathophysiology and inform potential interventions.
