Using MazeSuite and Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy to Study Learning in Spatial Navigation

MazeSuite is a complete toolset to prepare, present and analyze navigational and spatial experiments1. MazeSuite can be used to design and edit adapted virtual 3D environments, track a participants' behavioral performance within the virtual environment and synchronize with external devices for physiological and neuroimaging measures, including electroencephalogram and eye tracking

Function brain imaging using near-infrared technology - assessing cognitive activity in real-life situations

Ieee Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine, 26(4), 38-46

A working memory deficit among dyslexic readers with no phonological impairment as measured using the n-back task: an fNIR study.

Data indicated that dyslexic individuals exhibited difficulties on tasks involving Working Memory (WM). Previous studies have suggested that these deficits stem from impaired processing in the Phonological Loop (PL). The PL impairment was connected to poor phonological processing. However, recent data has pointed to the Central Executive (CE) system as another source of WM deficit in dyslexic readers. This opened a debate whether the WM deficit stems solely from PL or can also be seen as an outcome of poor CE processing. In an attempt to verify this question, the current study compared adult skilled and compensated dyslexic readers with no impairment of phonological skills. The participants' PL and CE processing were tested by using the fNIR device attached to the frontal lobe and measured the changes in brain oxygen values when performing N-back task. As it was previously suggested, the N = 0 represented PL and N = 1 to 3 represent CE processing. It was hypothesized that dyslexic readers who show non-impaired phonological skills will exhibit deficits mainly in the CE subsystem and to a lesser extent in the PL. Results indicated that the two reading level groups did not differ in their accuracy and reaction times in any of the N-Back conditions. However, the dyslexic readers demonstrated significant lower maximum oxyHb values in the upper left frontal lobe, mainly caused due to a significant lower activity under the N = 1 condition. Significant task effects were found in the medial left hemisphere, and the high medial right hemisphere. In addition, significant correlations between fNIR-features, reading performance and speed of processing were found. The higher oxyHb values, the better reading and speed of processing performance obtained. The results of the current study support the hypothesis that at least for the group of dyslexics with non-impaired PL, WM deficit stems from poor CE activity

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for the Evaluation of Anesthetic Depth

The standard-of-care guidelines published by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) recommend monitoring of pulse oximetry, blood pressure, heart rate, and end tidal CO 2 during the use of anesthesia and sedation. This information can help to identify adverse events that may occur during procedures. However, these parameters are not specific to the effects of anesthetics or sedatives, and therefore they offer little, to no, real time information regarding the effects of those agents and do not give the clinician the lead-time necessary to prevent patient "awareness." Since no "gold-standard" method is available to continuously, reliably, and effectively monitor the effects of sedatives and anesthetics, such a method is greatly needed. Investigation of the use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (f NIRS) as a method for anesthesia or sedation monitoring and for the assessment of the effects of various anesthetic drugs on cerebral oxygenation has started to be conducted. The objective of this paper is to provide a thorough review of the currently available published scientific studies regarding the use of f NIRS in the fields of anesthesia and sedation monitoring, comment on their findings, and discuss the future work required for the translation of this technology to the clinical setting

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for the Evaluation of Anesthetic Depth

The standard-of-care guidelines published by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) recommend monitoring of pulse oximetry, blood pressure, heart rate, and end tidal CO2 during the use of anesthesia and sedation. This information can help to identify adverse events that may occur during procedures. However, these parameters are not specific to the effects of anesthetics or sedatives, and therefore they offer little, to no, real time information regarding the effects of those agents and do not give the clinician the lead-time necessary to prevent patient “awareness.” Since no “gold-standard” method is available to continuously, reliably, and effectively monitor the effects of sedatives and anesthetics, such a method is greatly needed. Investigation of the use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) as a method for anesthesia or sedation monitoring and for the assessment of the effects of various anesthetic drugs on cerebral oxygenation has started to be conducted. The objective of this paper is to provide a thorough review of the currently available published scientific studies regarding the use of fNIRS in the fields of anesthesia and sedation monitoring, comment on their findings, and discuss the future work required for the translation of this technology to the clinical setting

Human-Agent Teaming - an Evolving Interaction Paradigm: An Innovative Measure of Trust

The promise of intelligent decision support systems is presented as a harbinger for humankind. With the potential partnership between the human and autonomous system we could see a significant increase in effectiveness and safety. However, as we see both human and agent team members being integrated we must investigate ways in which we can assess not only the interaction between the two actors, but also the very nature of trust perceived by the human. In this paper we present early findings of an experiment that examines the human-autonomy interaction across different frameworks of authority; from manual to fully autonomous. Participants were asked to interact with a ground control station that supervised several unmanned systems, and presented with goals that required manually selecting or approving assets to achieve mission goals. The use of neuroimaging (in this instance Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy - fNIRS) was used to establish neuro-correlates of trust within the prefrontal cortical region of the brain. Initial findings suggest that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortical region of the brain is heavily associated when humans are confronted with different levels of authority with human-autonomy interaction

Mean, (standard deviation) and between groups t-test results of dyslexic and regular readers on the baseline measures.

*<p>p<0.05;</p>**<p>p<0.01;</p>***<p>p<0.001.</p

The N-Back Behavioral Results.

<p>The dyslexic (dark line) and skilled (light line) readers’ mean (a) accuracy and (b) reaction time under each of the N-Back task conditions. Error bars represent group’s standard deviation.</p