Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and the developing brain

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Postnatal brain plasticity of functional networks is associated with increased vulnerability to environmental stimuli. The ontogeny and temporal manifestations of inter- and intra-regional functional connectivity in the developing brain have been studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The development of early functional networks in infancy predicts cognitive outcomes in childhood. Physiological changes, such irregular perfusion or vascular reactivity, may impact functional connectivity and subsequent learning and memory abilities in childhood; yet, the association amongst vascular changes and functional connectivity in the developing brain remains unknown. Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a brain imaging technique comparable to fMRI in that it is sensitive to cerebral hemodynamic changes through detecting oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin by passing light through the skull and brain. Recent advances in fNIRS have overcome several of the limitations of neonatal MRI, in that it is insensitive to movement and has excellent temporal resolution (~100ms). Research examining resting-state networks with fNIRS in young children reported considerable overlap between patterns evoked by tasks (i.e., language task) and in functional resting-state networks (i.e., language networks). Less research has focussed on resting-state networks in newborn infants due to challenges faced with acquiring high-quality fNIRS data in this population. More recent advances in fNIRS technology within the last 2 years have led to the development of highly portable systems that can fit in an infant's crib, permitting the recording of brain activity in naturalistic settings while babies are awake. The current proposal is requesting funding for a portable fNIRS system that can be easily transported to acquire data in healthy day-old newborns on maternity wards. Our research team is highly interdisciplinary with backgrounds in educational psychology, neonatal neuroscience, and biomedical engineering. By using this novel equipment we will be to develop novel protocols for portable optical devices to study cerebral hemodynamics in neonates and examine the association with functional connectivity networks. The proposed equipment will offer several training opportunities for new trainees in the acquisition and analysis of fNIRS data. This equipment will also facilitate the current trainees engaged in our infant and child research programs, and advanced fNIRS analyses. Providing a better understanding of individual differences in brain maturation may aid in predicting alterations in brain connectivity, this knowledge may lay the foundation for more effective early-intervention teaching methods calibrated to critical periods in the development of specific functional brain systems.