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Detection of dynamic changes in cerebral oxygenation coupled to neuronal function during mental work in man
1Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
Abstract:
Changes in the oxygenation state of brain hemoglobin during mental work were monitored in real time (time resolution: 1 s) using near-infrared spectrophotometry in 14 healthy volunteers. In a younger group (age range 22-30 years, n = 12), the subjects finding difficulty in solving a problem were accompanied by significant increases in both oxygenated hemoglobin and total hemoglobin, while the subjects making a correct answer without difficulty showed no significant changes in hemoglobin oxygenation. When compared with those younger subjects, observations on the older subject demonstrated a decrease in oxygenated hemoglobin and a reciprocal increase in deoxygenated hemoglobin, unaccompanied by changes in total hemoglobin.