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Yoo SH, Hong J, Hong KS, Lee Y. Multivariate disturbance filtering in auditory fNIRS signals using maximum likelihood gradient estimation method: Feasibility study using sound quality indices. Comput Biol Med 2024; 179:108840. [PMID: 39004047 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology has been widely used to analyze biomechanics and diagnose brain activity. Despite being a promising tool for assessing the brain cortex status, this system is susceptible to disturbances and noise from electrical instrumentation and basal metabolism. In this study, an alternative filtering method, maximum likelihood generalized extended stochastic gradient (ML-GESG) estimation, is proposed to overcome the limitations of these disturbance factors. The proposed algorithm was designed to reduce multiple disturbances originating from heartbeats, breathing, shivering, and instrumental noises as multivariate parameters. To evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithm in filtering involuntary signals, a comparative analysis was conducted with a conventional filtering method, using hemodynamic responses to auditory stimuli and psycho-acoustic factors as quality indices. Using auditory sound stimuli consisting of 12 voice sources (six males and six females), the fNIRS test was configured with 18 channels and conducted on 10 volunteers. The psycho-acoustic factors of loudness and sharpness were used to evaluate physiological responses to the stimuli. Applying the proposed filtering method, the oxygenated hemoglobin concentration correlated better with the psychoacoustic analysis of each auditory stimulus than that of the conventional filtering method.
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Affiliation(s)
- So-Hyeon Yoo
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jiyoung Hong
- Transportation Environmental Research Team, New Transportation Innovative Research Center, Korea Railroad Research Institute, Uiwang-si, Republic of Korea.
| | - Keum-Shik Hong
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yonghee Lee
- Transportation Environmental Research Team, New Transportation Innovative Research Center, Korea Railroad Research Institute, Uiwang-si, Republic of Korea.
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Bálint A, Rummel C, Caversaccio M, Weder S. Three-dimensional infrared scanning: an enhanced approach for spatial registration of probes for neuroimaging. NEUROPHOTONICS 2024; 11:024309. [PMID: 38812965 PMCID: PMC11134420 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.11.2.024309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Significance Accurate spatial registration of probes (e.g., optodes and electrodes) for measurement of brain activity is a crucial aspect in many neuroimaging modalities. It may increase measurement precision and enable the transition from channel-based calculations to volumetric representations. Aim This technical note evaluates the efficacy of a commercially available infrared three-dimensional (3D) scanner under actual experimental (or clinical) conditions and provides guidelines for its use. Method We registered probe positions using an infrared 3D scanner and validated them against magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans on five volunteer participants. Results Our analysis showed that with standard cap fixation, the average Euclidean distance of probe position among subjects could reach up to 43 mm, with an average distance of 15.25 mm [standard deviation (SD) = 8.0]. By contrast, the average distance between the infrared 3D scanner and the MRI-acquired positions was 5.69 mm (SD = 1.73), while the average difference between consecutive infrared 3D scans was 3.43 mm (SD = 1.62). The inter-optode distance, which was fixed at 30 mm, was measured as 29.28 mm (SD = 1.12) on the MRI and 29.43 mm (SD = 1.96) on infrared 3D scans. Our results demonstrate the high accuracy and reproducibility of the proposed spatial registration method, making it suitable for both functional near-infrared spectroscopy and electroencephalogram studies. Conclusions The 3D infrared scanning technique for spatial registration of probes provides economic efficiency, simplicity, practicality, repeatability, and high accuracy, with potential benefits for a range of neuroimaging applications. We provide practical guidance on anonymization, labeling, and post-processing of acquired scans.
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Affiliation(s)
- András Bálint
- University of Bern, ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, Hearing Research Laboratory, Bern, Switzerland
- Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Department of ENT - Head and Neck Surgery, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christian Rummel
- Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Support Center for Advanced Neuroimaging (SCAN), Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marco Caversaccio
- University of Bern, ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, Hearing Research Laboratory, Bern, Switzerland
- Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Department of ENT - Head and Neck Surgery, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Weder
- Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Department of ENT - Head and Neck Surgery, Bern, Switzerland
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Muñoz V, Muñoz-Caracuel M, Angulo-Ruiz BY, Gómez CM. Neurovascular coupling during auditory stimulation: event-related potentials and fNIRS hemodynamic. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:1943-1961. [PMID: 37658858 PMCID: PMC10517045 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02698-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Intensity-dependent amplitude changes (IDAP) have been extensively studied using event-related potentials (ERPs) and have been linked to several psychiatric disorders. This study aims to explore the application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in IDAP paradigms, which related to ERPs could indicate the existence of neurovascular coupling. Thirty-three and thirty-one subjects participated in two experiments, respectively. The first experiment consisted of the presentation of three-tone intensities (77.9 dB, 84.5 dB, and 89.5 dB) lasting 500 ms, each type randomly presented 54 times, while the second experiment consisted of the presentation of five-tone intensities (70.9 dB, 77.9 dB, 84.5 dB, 89.5 dB, and 94.5 dB) in trains of 8 tones lasting 70 ms each tone, the trains were presented 20 times. EEG was used to measure ERP components: N1, P2, and N1-P2 peak-to-peak amplitude. fNIRS allowed the analysis of the hemodynamic activity in the auditory, visual, and prefrontal cortices. The results showed an increase in N1, P2, and N1-P2 peak-to-peak amplitude with auditory intensity. Similarly, oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentrations showed amplitude increases and decreases, respectively, with auditory intensity in the auditory and prefrontal cortices. Spearman correlation analysis showed a relationship between the left auditory cortex with N1 amplitude, and the right dorsolateral cortex with P2 amplitude, specifically for deoxyhemoglobin concentrations. These findings suggest that there is a brain response to auditory intensity changes that can be obtained by EEG and fNIRS, supporting the neurovascular coupling process. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of fNIRS application in auditory paradigms and highlights its potential as a complementary technique to ERPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanesa Muñoz
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology Department, University of Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Manuel Muñoz-Caracuel
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology Department, University of Sevilla, Seville, Spain
- Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio, Seville, Spain
| | - Brenda Y. Angulo-Ruiz
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology Department, University of Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Carlos M. Gómez
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology Department, University of Sevilla, Seville, Spain
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Zhou XQ, Zhang QL, Xi X, Leng MR, Liu H, Liu S, Zhang T, Yuan W. Cortical responses correlate with speech performance in pre-lingually deaf cochlear implant children. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1126813. [PMID: 37332858 PMCID: PMC10272438 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1126813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cochlear implantation is currently the most successful intervention for severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss, particularly in deaf infants and children. Nonetheless, there remains a significant degree of variability in the outcomes of CI post-implantation. The purpose of this study was to understand the cortical correlates of the variability in speech outcomes with a cochlear implant in pre-lingually deaf children using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), an emerging brain-imaging technique. Methods In this experiment, cortical activities when processing visual speech and two levels of auditory speech, including auditory speech in quiet and in noise with signal-to-noise ratios of 10 dB, were examined in 38 CI recipients with pre-lingual deafness and 36 normally hearing children whose age and sex matched CI users. The HOPE corpus (a corpus of Mandarin sentences) was used to generate speech stimuli. The regions of interest (ROIs) for the fNIRS measurements were fronto-temporal-parietal networks involved in language processing, including bilateral superior temporal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, and bilateral inferior parietal lobes. Results The fNIRS results confirmed and extended findings previously reported in the neuroimaging literature. Firstly, cortical responses of superior temporal gyrus to both auditory and visual speech in CI users were directly correlated to auditory speech perception scores, with the strongest positive association between the levels of cross-modal reorganization and CI outcome. Secondly, compared to NH controls, CI users, particularly those with good speech perception, showed larger cortical activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus in response to all speech stimuli used in the experiment. Discussion In conclusion, cross-modal activation to visual speech in the auditory cortex of pre-lingually deaf CI children may be at least one of the neural bases of highly variable CI performance due to its beneficial effects for speech understanding, thus supporting the prediction and assessment of CI outcomes in clinic. Additionally, cortical activation of the left inferior frontal gyrus may be a cortical marker for effortful listening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Qing Zhou
- Department of Otolaryngology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Qing-Ling Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Xi
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ming-Rong Leng
- Chongqing Integrated Service Center for Disabled Persons, Chongqing, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Chongqing Integrated Service Center for Disabled Persons, Chongqing, China
| | - Shu Liu
- Chongqing Integrated Service Center for Disabled Persons, Chongqing, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Chongqing Integrated Service Center for Disabled Persons, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, China
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Sawamura D, Tanabe Y, Sakuraba S, Cui J, Miura H, Saito R, Sugi M, Watanabe A, Tokikuni Y, Sugawara K, Miyazaki M, Miyamoto R, Sakai S. The impact of visual cross-modal conflict with semantic and nonsemantic distractors on working memory task: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e30330. [PMID: 36086757 PMCID: PMC10980433 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000030330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cross-modal conflicts arise when information from multisensory modalities is incongruent. Most previous studies investigating audiovisual cross-modal conflicts have focused on visual targets with auditory distractors, and only a few studies have focused on auditory targets with visual distractors. Moreover, no study has investigated the differences in the impact of visual cross-modal conflict with semantic and nonsemantic competition and its neural basis. This cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the impact of 2 types of visual cross-modal conflicts with semantic and nonsemantic distractors through a working memory task and associated brain activities. The participants were 33 healthy, right-handed, young male adults. The paced auditory serial addition test was performed under 3 conditions: no-distractor and 2 types of visual distractor conditions (nonsemantic and semantic distractor conditions). Symbols and numbers were used as nonsemantic and semantic distractors, respectively. The oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) concentration in the frontoparietal regions, bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and inferior parietal cortex (IPC) were measured during the task under each condition. The results showed significantly lower paced auditory serial addition test performances in both distractor conditions than in the no-distractor condition, but no significant difference between the 2 distractor conditions. For brain activity, a significantly increased Oxy-Hb concentration in the right VLPFC was only observed in the nonsemantic distractor condition (corrected P = .015; Cohen d = .46). The changes in Oxy-Hb in the bilateral IPC were positively correlated with changes in task performance for both types of visual cross-modal distractor conditions. Visual cross-modal conflict significantly impairs auditory working memory task performance, regardless of the presence of semantic or nonsemantic distractors. The right VLPFC may be a crucial region to inhibit visual nonsemantic information in cross-modal conflict situations, and bilateral IPC may be closely linked with the inhibition of visual cross-modal distractor, regardless of the presence of semantic or nonsemantic distractors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Sawamura
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Tanabe
- Department of Rehabilitation, Shinsapporo Paulo Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Sakuraba
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Tobetsu, Japan
| | - Jiahong Cui
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Miura
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ryuji Saito
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masaaki Sugi
- Department of Rehabilitation, Tokeidai Memorial Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Akihiro Watanabe
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yukina Tokikuni
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Sugawara
- Department of Physical therapy, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Mitsunori Miyazaki
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Reiko Miyamoto
- Division of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Sakai
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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Muñoz V, Diaz‐Sanchez JA, Muñoz‐Caracuel M, Gómez CM. Head hemodynamics and systemic responses during auditory stimulation. Physiol Rep 2022; 10:e15372. [PMID: 35785451 PMCID: PMC9251853 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aims to analyze the systemic response to auditory stimulation by means of hemodynamic (cephalic and peripheral) and autonomic responses in a broad range of auditory intensities (70.9, 77.9, 84.5, 89.5, 94.5 dBA). This approach could help to understand the possible influence of the autonomic nervous system on the cephalic blood flow. Twenty-five subjects were exposed to auditory stimulation while electrodermal activity (EDA), photoplethysmography (PPG), electrocardiogram, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy signals were recorded. Seven trials with 20 individual tones, each for the five intensities, were presented. The results showed a differentiated response to the higher intensity (94.5 dBA) with a decrease in some peripheral signals such as the heart rate (HR), the pulse signal, the pulse transit time (PTT), an increase of the LFnu power in PPG, and at the head level a decrease in oxygenated and total hemoglobin concentration. After the regression of the visual channel activity from the auditory channels, a decrease in deoxyhemoglobin in the auditory cortex was obtained, indicating a likely active response at the highest intensity. Nevertheless, other measures, such as EDA (Phasic and Tonic), and heart rate variability (Frequency and time domain) showed no significant differences between intensities. Altogether, these results suggest a systemic and complex response to high-intensity auditory stimuli. The results obtained in the decrease of the PTT and the increase in LFnu power of PPG suggest a possible vasoconstriction reflex by a sympathetic control of vascular tone, which could be related to the decrease in blood oxygenation at the head level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanesa Muñoz
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology DepartmentUniversity of SevillaSevillaSpain
| | - José A. Diaz‐Sanchez
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology DepartmentUniversity of SevillaSevillaSpain
| | - Manuel Muñoz‐Caracuel
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology DepartmentUniversity of SevillaSevillaSpain
| | - Carlos M. Gómez
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology DepartmentUniversity of SevillaSevillaSpain
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Adaptation of stimulation duration to enhance auditory response in fNIRS block design. Hear Res 2022; 424:108593. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2022.108593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Zhou X, Sobczak GS, McKay CM, Litovsky RY. Effects of degraded speech processing and binaural unmasking investigated using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). PLoS One 2022; 17:e0267588. [PMID: 35468160 PMCID: PMC9037936 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the effects of degraded speech perception and binaural unmasking using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Normal hearing listeners were tested when attending to unprocessed or vocoded speech, presented to the left ear at two speech-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Additionally, by comparing monaural versus diotic masker noise, we measured binaural unmasking. Our primary research question was whether the prefrontal cortex and temporal cortex responded differently to varying listening configurations. Our a priori regions of interest (ROIs) were located at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and auditory cortex (AC). The left DLPFC has been reported to be involved in attentional processes when listening to degraded speech and in spatial hearing processing, while the AC has been reported to be sensitive to speech intelligibility. Comparisons of cortical activity between these two ROIs revealed significantly different fNIRS response patterns. Further, we showed a significant and positive correlation between self-reported task difficulty levels and fNIRS responses in the DLPFC, with a negative but non-significant correlation for the left AC, suggesting that the two ROIs played different roles in effortful speech perception. Our secondary question was whether activity within three sub-regions of the lateral PFC (LPFC) including the DLPFC was differentially affected by varying speech-noise configurations. We found significant effects of spectral degradation and SNR, and significant differences in fNIRS response amplitudes between the three regions, but no significant interaction between ROI and speech type, or between ROI and SNR. When attending to speech with monaural and diotic noises, participants reported the latter conditions being easier; however, no significant main effect of masker condition on cortical activity was observed. For cortical responses in the LPFC, a significant interaction between SNR and masker condition was observed. These findings suggest that binaural unmasking affects cortical activity through improving speech reception threshold in noise, rather than by reducing effort exerted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhou
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Gabriel S. Sobczak
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Colette M. McKay
- The Bionics Institute of Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Bionics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ruth Y. Litovsky
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
- Department of Communication Science and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
- Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
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Bálint A, Wimmer W, Caversaccio M, Weder S. Neural Activity during Audiovisual Speech Processing: Protocol for a Functional Neuroimaging Study (Preprint). JMIR Res Protoc 2022; 11:e38407. [PMID: 35727624 PMCID: PMC9239541 DOI: 10.2196/38407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) studies have demonstrated associations between hearing outcomes after cochlear implantation and plastic brain changes. However, inconsistent results make it difficult to draw conclusions. A major problem is that many variables need to be controlled. To gain further understanding, a careful preparation and planning of such a functional neuroimaging task is key. Objective Using fNIRS, our main objective is to develop a well-controlled audiovisual speech comprehension task to study brain activation in individuals with normal hearing and hearing impairment (including cochlear implant users). The task should be deductible from clinically established tests, induce maximal cortical activation, use optimal coverage of relevant brain regions, and be reproducible by other research groups. Methods The protocol will consist of a 5-minute resting state and 2 stimulation periods that are 12 minutes each. During the stimulation periods, 13-second video recordings of the clinically established Oldenburg Sentence Test (OLSA) will be presented. Stimuli will be presented in 4 different modalities: (1) speech in quiet, (2) speech in noise, (3) visual only (ie, lipreading), and (4) audiovisual speech. Each stimulus type will be repeated 10 times in a counterbalanced block design. Interactive question windows will monitor speech comprehension during the task. After the measurement, we will perform a 3D scan to digitize optode positions and verify the covered anatomical locations. Results This paper reports the study protocol. Enrollment for the study started in August 2021. We expect to publish our first results by the end of 2022. Conclusions The proposed audiovisual speech comprehension task will help elucidate neural correlates to speech understanding. The comprehensive study will have the potential to provide additional information beyond the conventional clinical standards about the underlying plastic brain changes of a hearing-impaired person. It will facilitate more precise indication criteria for cochlear implantation and better planning of rehabilitation. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/38407
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Affiliation(s)
- András Bálint
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Hearing Research Laboratory, ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Wilhelm Wimmer
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Hearing Research Laboratory, ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marco Caversaccio
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Hearing Research Laboratory, ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Weder
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Hearing Research Laboratory, ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Cui J, Sawamura D, Sakuraba S, Saito R, Tanabe Y, Miura H, Sugi M, Yoshida K, Watanabe A, Tokikuni Y, Yoshida S, Sakai S. Effect of Audiovisual Cross-Modal Conflict during Working Memory Tasks: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12030349. [PMID: 35326305 PMCID: PMC8946709 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12030349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive conflict effects are well characterized within unimodality. However, little is known about cross-modal conflicts and their neural bases. This study characterizes the two types of visual and auditory cross-modal conflicts through working memory tasks and brain activities. The participants consisted of 31 healthy, right-handed, young male adults. The Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) and the Paced Visual Serial Addition Test (PVSAT) were performed under distractor and no distractor conditions. Distractor conditions comprised two conditions in which either the PASAT or PVSAT was the target task, and the other was used as a distractor stimulus. Additionally, oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) concentration changes in the frontoparietal regions were measured during tasks. The results showed significantly lower PASAT performance under distractor conditions than under no distractor conditions, but not in the PVSAT. Oxy-Hb changes in the bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and inferior parietal cortex (IPC) significantly increased in the PASAT with distractor compared with no distractor conditions, but not in the PVSAT. Furthermore, there were significant positive correlations between Δtask performance accuracy and ΔOxy-Hb in the bilateral IPC only in the PASAT. Visual cross-modal conflict significantly impairs auditory task performance, and bilateral VLPFC and IPC are key regions in inhibiting visual cross-modal distractors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahong Cui
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan; (J.C.); (R.S.); (H.M.); (A.W.); (Y.T.)
| | - Daisuke Sawamura
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan; (K.Y.); (S.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Satoshi Sakuraba
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Sapporo 061-0293, Japan; (S.S.); (S.Y.)
| | - Ryuji Saito
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan; (J.C.); (R.S.); (H.M.); (A.W.); (Y.T.)
| | - Yoshinobu Tanabe
- Department of Rehabilitation, Shinsapporo Paulo Hospital, Sapporo 004-0002, Japan;
| | - Hiroshi Miura
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan; (J.C.); (R.S.); (H.M.); (A.W.); (Y.T.)
| | - Masaaki Sugi
- Department of Rehabilitation, Tokeidai Memorial Hospital, Sapporo 060-0031, Japan;
| | - Kazuki Yoshida
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan; (K.Y.); (S.S.)
| | - Akihiro Watanabe
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan; (J.C.); (R.S.); (H.M.); (A.W.); (Y.T.)
| | - Yukina Tokikuni
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan; (J.C.); (R.S.); (H.M.); (A.W.); (Y.T.)
| | - Susumu Yoshida
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Sapporo 061-0293, Japan; (S.S.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shinya Sakai
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan; (K.Y.); (S.S.)
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Tian X, Liu Y, Guo Z, Cai J, Tang J, Chen F, Zhang H. Cerebral Representation of Sound Localization Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:739706. [PMID: 34970110 PMCID: PMC8712652 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.739706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sound localization is an essential part of auditory processing. However, the cortical representation of identifying the direction of sound sources presented in the sound field using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is currently unknown. Therefore, in this study, we used fNIRS to investigate the cerebral representation of different sound sources. Twenty-five normal-hearing subjects (aged 26 ± 2.7, male 11, female 14) were included and actively took part in a block design task. The test setup for sound localization was composed of a seven-speaker array spanning a horizontal arc of 180° in front of the participants. Pink noise bursts with two intensity levels (48 dB/58 dB) were randomly applied via five loudspeakers (–90°/–30°/–0°/+30°/+90°). Sound localization task performances were collected, and simultaneous signals from auditory processing cortical fields were recorded for analysis by using a support vector machine (SVM). The results showed a classification accuracy of 73.60, 75.60, and 77.40% on average at –90°/0°, 0°/+90°, and –90°/+90° with high intensity, and 70.60, 73.6, and 78.6% with low intensity. The increase of oxyhemoglobin was observed in the bilateral non-primary auditory cortex (AC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). In conclusion, the oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) response showed different neural activity patterns between the lateral and front sources in the AC and dlPFC. Our results may serve as a basic contribution for further research on the use of fNIRS in spatial auditory studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuexin Tian
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yimeng Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zengzhi Guo
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jieqing Cai
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Tang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Hearing Research Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fei Chen
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hongzheng Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Hearing Research Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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12
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Afzal Khan MN, Hong KS. Most favorable stimulation duration in the sensorimotor cortex for fNIRS-based BCI. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 12:5939-5954. [PMID: 34745714 PMCID: PMC8547991 DOI: 10.1364/boe.434936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
One of the primary objectives of the brain-computer interface (BCI) is to obtain a command with higher classification accuracy within the shortest possible time duration. Therefore, this study evaluates several stimulation durations to propose a duration that can yield the highest classification accuracy. Furthermore, this study aims to address the inherent delay in the hemodynamic responses (HRs) for the command generation time. To this end, HRs in the sensorimotor cortex were evaluated for the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-based BCI. To evoke brain activity, right-hand-index finger poking and tapping tasks were used. In this study, six different stimulation durations (i.e., 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 15 s) were tested on 10 healthy male subjects. Upon stimulation, different temporal features and multiple time windows were utilized to extract temporal features. The extracted features were then classified using linear discriminant analysis. The classification results using the main HR showed that a 5 s stimulation duration could yield the highest classification accuracy, i.e., 74%, with a combination of the mean and maximum value features. However, the results were not significantly different from the classification accuracy obtained using the 15 s stimulation. To further validate the results, a classification using the initial dip was performed. The results obtained endorsed the finding with an average classification accuracy of 73.5% using the features of minimum peak and skewness in the 5 s window. The results based on classification using the initial dip for 5 s were significantly different from all other tested stimulation durations (p < 0.05) for all feature combinations. Moreover, from the visual inspection of the HRs, it is observed that the initial dip occurred as soon as the task started, but the main HR had a delay of more than 2 s. Another interesting finding is that impulsive stimulation in the sensorimotor cortex can result in the generation of a clearer initial dip phenomenon. The results reveal that the command for the fNIRS-based BCI can be generated using the 5 s stimulation duration. In conclusion, the use of the initial dip can reduce the time taken for the generation of commands and can be used to achieve a higher classification accuracy for the fNIRS-BCI within a 5 s task duration rather than relying on longer durations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. N. Afzal Khan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Keum-Shik Hong
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
- Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
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13
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a brain imaging technique particularly suitable for hearing studies. However, the nature of fNIRS responses to auditory stimuli presented at different stimulus intensities is not well understood. In this study, we investigated whether fNIRS response amplitude was better predicted by stimulus properties (intensity) or individually perceived attributes (loudness). DESIGN Twenty-two young adults were included in this experimental study. Four different stimulus intensities of a broadband noise were used as stimuli. First, loudness estimates for each stimulus intensity were measured for each participant. Then, the 4 stimulation intensities were presented in counterbalanced order while recording hemoglobin saturation changes from cortical auditory brain areas. The fNIRS response was analyzed in a general linear model design, using 3 different regressors: a non-modulated, an intensity-modulated, and a loudness-modulated regressor. RESULTS Higher intensity stimuli resulted in higher amplitude fNIRS responses. The relationship between stimulus intensity and fNIRS response amplitude was better explained using a regressor based on individually estimated loudness estimates compared with a regressor modulated by stimulus intensity alone. CONCLUSIONS Brain activation in response to different stimulus intensities is more reliant upon individual loudness sensation than physical stimulus properties. Therefore, in measurements using different auditory stimulus intensities or subjective hearing parameters, loudness estimates should be examined when interpreting results.
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14
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Luke R, Larson E, Shader MJ, Innes-Brown H, Van Yper L, Lee AKC, Sowman PF, McAlpine D. Analysis methods for measuring passive auditory fNIRS responses generated by a block-design paradigm. NEUROPHOTONICS 2021; 8:025008. [PMID: 34036117 PMCID: PMC8140612 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.8.2.025008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Significance: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an increasingly popular tool in auditory research, but the range of analysis procedures employed across studies may complicate the interpretation of data. Aim: We aim to assess the impact of different analysis procedures on the morphology, detection, and lateralization of auditory responses in fNIRS. Specifically, we determine whether averaging or generalized linear model (GLM)-based analysis generates different experimental conclusions when applied to a block-protocol design. The impact of parameter selection of GLMs on detecting auditory-evoked responses was also quantified. Approach: 17 listeners were exposed to three commonly employed auditory stimuli: noise, speech, and silence. A block design, comprising sounds of 5 s duration and 10 to 20 s silent intervals, was employed. Results: Both analysis procedures generated similar response morphologies and amplitude estimates, and both indicated that responses to speech were significantly greater than to noise or silence. Neither approach indicated a significant effect of brain hemisphere on responses to speech. Methods to correct for systemic hemodynamic responses using short channels improved detection at the individual level. Conclusions: Consistent with theoretical considerations, simulations, and other experimental domains, GLM and averaging analyses generate the same group-level experimental conclusions. We release this dataset publicly for use in future development and optimization of algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Luke
- Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hearing & Department of Linguistics, Australian Hearing Hub, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- The Bionics Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Eric Larson
- University of Washington, Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Maureen J. Shader
- The Bionics Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Medical Bionics, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hamish Innes-Brown
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Medical Bionics, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Eriksholm Research Centre, Oticon A/S, Snekkersten, Denmark
| | - Lindsey Van Yper
- Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hearing & Department of Linguistics, Australian Hearing Hub, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Adrian K. C. Lee
- University of Washington, Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, Seattle, Washington, United States
- University of Washington, Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences and Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Paul F. Sowman
- Macquarie University, Department of Cognitive Science, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David McAlpine
- Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hearing & Department of Linguistics, Australian Hearing Hub, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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15
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Muñoz-Caracuel M, Muñoz V, Ruíz-Martínez FJ, Di Domenico D, Brigadoi S, Gómez CM. Multivariate analysis of the systemic response to auditory stimulation: An integrative approach. Exp Physiol 2021; 106:1072-1098. [PMID: 33624899 DOI: 10.1113/ep089125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? Auditory stimulation produces a response in different physiological systems: cardiac, peripheral blood flow, electrodermal, cortical and peripheral haemodynamic responses and auditory event-related potentials. Do all these subsystems covary when responding to auditory stimulation, suggesting a unified locus of control, or do they not covary, suggesting independent loci of control for these physiological responses? What is the main finding and its importance? Auditory sensory gating reached a fixed level of neural activity independently of the intensity of auditory stimulation. The use of multivariate techniques revealed the presence of different regulatory mechanisms for the different physiologically recorded signals. ABSTRACT We studied the effects of an increasing amplitude of auditory stimulation on a variety of autonomic and CNS responses and their possible interdependence. The subjects were stimulated with an increasing amplitude of auditory tones while the auditory event-related potentials (ERPs), the cortical and extracerebral functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) signal of standard and short separation channel recordings, the peripheral pulse measured by photoplethysmography, heart rate and electrodermal responses were recorded. Trials with eight tones of equal amplitude were presented. The results showed a parallel increase of activity in ERPs, fNIRS and peripheral responses with the increase in intensity of auditory stimulation. The ERPs, measured as peak-to-peak N1-P2, showed an increase in amplitude with auditory stimulation and a high attenuation from the first presentation with respect to the second to eighth presentations. Peripheral signals and standard and short channel fNIRS responses showed a decrease in amplitude in the high-intensity auditory stimulation conditions. Principal components analysis showed independent sources of variance for the recorded signals, suggesting independent control of the recorded physiological responses. The present results suggest a complex response associated to the increase of auditory stimulation with a fixed amplitude for ERPs, and a decrease in the peripheral and cortical haemodynamic response, possibly mediated by activation of the sympathetic nervous system, constituting a defensive reflex to excessive auditory stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Muñoz-Caracuel
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology Department, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Vanesa Muñoz
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology Department, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Francisco J Ruíz-Martínez
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology Department, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Dalila Di Domenico
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology Department, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.,Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, Padova, Italy
| | - Sabrina Brigadoi
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, Padova, Italy.,Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo, Padova, Italy
| | - Carlos M Gómez
- Human Psychobiology Laboratory, Experimental Psychology Department, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
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16
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Zhou X, Sobczak G, McKay CM, Litovsky RY. Comparing fNIRS signal qualities between approaches with and without short channels. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0244186. [PMID: 33362260 PMCID: PMC7757903 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive technique used to measure changes in oxygenated (HbO) and deoxygenated (HbR) hemoglobin, related to neuronal activity. fNIRS signals are contaminated by the systemic responses in the extracerebral tissue (superficial layer) of the head, as fNIRS uses a back-reflection measurement. Using shorter channels that are only sensitive to responses in the extracerebral tissue but not in the deeper layers where target neuronal activity occurs has been a ‘gold standard’ to reduce the systemic responses in the fNIRS data from adults. When shorter channels are not available or feasible for implementation, an alternative, i.e., anti-correlation (Anti-Corr) method has been adopted. To date, there has not been a study that directly assesses the outcomes from the two approaches. In this study, we compared the Anti-Corr method with the ‘gold standard’ in reducing systemic responses to improve fNIRS neural signal qualities. We used eight short channels (8-mm) in a group of adults, and conducted a principal component analysis (PCA) to extract two components that contributed the most to responses in the 8 short channels, which were assumed to contain the global components in the extracerebral tissue. We then used a general linear model (GLM), with and without including event-related regressors, to regress out the 2 principal components from regular fNIRS channels (30 mm), i.e., two GLM-PCA methods. Our results found that, the two GLM-PCA methods showed similar performance, both GLM-PCA methods and the Anti-Corr method improved fNIRS signal qualities, and the two GLM-PCA methods had better performance than the Anti-Corr method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhou
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Gabriel Sobczak
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Colette M. McKay
- Bionics Institute of Australia, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Bionics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ruth Y. Litovsky
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Communication Science and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
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17
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Shoushtarian M, Alizadehsani R, Khosravi A, Acevedo N, McKay CM, Nahavandi S, Fallon JB. Objective measurement of tinnitus using functional near-infrared spectroscopy and machine learning. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241695. [PMID: 33206675 PMCID: PMC7673524 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic tinnitus is a debilitating condition which affects 10-20% of adults and can severely impact their quality of life. Currently there is no objective measure of tinnitus that can be used clinically. Clinical assessment of the condition uses subjective feedback from individuals which is not always reliable. We investigated the sensitivity of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to differentiate individuals with and without tinnitus and to identify fNIRS features associated with subjective ratings of tinnitus severity. We recorded fNIRS signals in the resting state and in response to auditory or visual stimuli from 25 individuals with chronic tinnitus and 21 controls matched for age and hearing loss. Severity of tinnitus was rated using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and subjective ratings of tinnitus loudness and annoyance were measured on a visual analogue scale. Following statistical group comparisons, machine learning methods including feature extraction and classification were applied to the fNIRS features to classify patients with tinnitus and controls and differentiate tinnitus at different severity levels. Resting state measures of connectivity between temporal regions and frontal and occipital regions were significantly higher in patients with tinnitus compared to controls. In the tinnitus group, temporal-occipital connectivity showed a significant increase with subject ratings of loudness. Also in this group, both visual and auditory evoked responses were significantly reduced in the visual and auditory regions of interest respectively. Naïve Bayes classifiers were able to classify patients with tinnitus from controls with an accuracy of 78.3%. An accuracy of 87.32% was achieved using Neural Networks to differentiate patients with slight/ mild versus moderate/ severe tinnitus. Our findings show the feasibility of using fNIRS and machine learning to develop an objective measure of tinnitus. Such a measure would greatly benefit clinicians and patients by providing a tool to objectively assess new treatments and patients' treatment progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrnaz Shoushtarian
- The Bionics Institute, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Medical Bionics Department, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Roohallah Alizadehsani
- Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI), Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Abbas Khosravi
- Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI), Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nicola Acevedo
- The Bionics Institute, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Colette M. McKay
- The Bionics Institute, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Medical Bionics Department, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Saeid Nahavandi
- Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI), Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - James B. Fallon
- The Bionics Institute, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Medical Bionics Department, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Otolaryngology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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18
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Shoushtarian M, Weder S, Innes-Brown H, McKay CM. Assessing hearing by measuring heartbeat: The effect of sound level. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212940. [PMID: 30817808 PMCID: PMC6394942 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive brain imaging technique that measures changes in oxygenated and de-oxygenated hemoglobin concentration and can provide a measure of brain activity. In addition to neural activity, fNIRS signals contain components that can be used to extract physiological information such as cardiac measures. Previous studies have shown changes in cardiac activity in response to different sounds. This study investigated whether cardiac responses collected using fNIRS differ for different loudness of sounds. fNIRS data were collected from 28 normal hearing participants. Cardiac response measures evoked by broadband, amplitude-modulated sounds were extracted for four sound intensities ranging from near-threshold to comfortably loud levels (15, 40, 65 and 90 dB Sound Pressure Level (SPL)). Following onset of the noise stimulus, heart rate initially decreased for sounds of 15 and 40 dB SPL, reaching a significantly lower rate at 15 dB SPL. For sounds at 65 and 90 dB SPL, increases in heart rate were seen. To quantify the timing of significant changes, inter-beat intervals were assessed. For sounds at 40 dB SPL, an immediate significant change in the first two inter-beat intervals following sound onset was found. At other levels, the most significant change appeared later (beats 3 to 5 following sound onset). In conclusion, changes in heart rate were associated with the level of sound with a clear difference in response to near-threshold sounds compared to comfortably loud sounds. These findings may be used alone or in conjunction with other measures such as fNIRS brain activity for evaluation of hearing ability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefan Weder
- The Bionics Institute, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hamish Innes-Brown
- The Bionics Institute, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Medical Bionics, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Colette M. McKay
- The Bionics Institute, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- The University of Melbourne, Department of Medical Bionics, Melbourne, Australia
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