A soft wearable near-infrared spectroscopy system for detecting brain water dynamics linked to glymphatic activity
Seunghyeb Ban1,2, Junwoo Kwon2,3, Ikhwan Shin2,4
1George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Abstract:
Sleep is a critical physiological process essential for overall brain health. Recent research shows that the glymphatic system is a key player in facilitating the metabolic waste clearance. However, the continuous real-time monitoring of brain water dynamics during sleep remains substantially challenging. Here, we introduce a soft, wearable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) system to detect brain water dynamics potentially linked to glymphatic activity. The device features an integration of multi-wavelength LEDs and photodetectors. The in vivo study with multiple human subjects captures the device's overnight sleep monitoring in a natural home environment, revealing continuous changes in brain water dynamics across different sleep stages. Our results support the link between sleep stage-dependent water dynamics and glymphatic activity. Spectral analysis identifies several physiological rhythms during sleep, including respiration, heart rate, and oscillations linked to slow-wave activity. These advancements significantly enhance the NIRS system's potential for a deeper understanding of brain health.
