[Research on Memory Cognitive Training Based on fNIRS and Neurofeedback].

The study developed a memory task training system using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and neurofeedback mechanisms, and acquired and analyzed subjects' EEG signals. The results showed that subjects participating in the neurofeedback task had higher correlated brain network node degrees and average cluster coefficients in the right hemisphere brain region of the prefrontal lobe, with relatively lower dispersion of mediator centrality. In addition, the subjects' left hemisphere brain region of the prefrontal lobe section had increased centrality in the neurofeedback task. Classification of brain data by the channel network model and the support vector machine model showed that the classification accuracy of both models was higher in the task state and resting state than in the feedback task and the control task, and the classification accuracy of the channel network model was higher. The results suggested that subjects in the neurofeedback task had distinct brain data features and that these features could be effectively recognized.

Effect of Virtual Reality Upper Limb Rehabilitation Training on Older Adults.

Virtual reality has gained more attention in the physical training field, but few studies focus on the effects of VR on older adults. Based on existing study we suggest that VR-based upper limb training might be more effective for older adults and used functional near inferred spectrum and movement analysis to evaluate the effects of VR-based training on older adults. 20 older and 20 youth adults were recruited to perform VR training by extending their upper limb to reaching the objects, and non-VR training as a contrast. Both age-related and task-related differences were found in cortical activation, showing that the VR training has aroused more cortical activation. The older groups have more intensive movement but perform worse in terms of task completion. Both groups performed better in VR, and the difference in the older group was higher.

Design Method of a Smart Rehabilitation Product Service System Based on Virtual Scenarios: A Case Study.

The development of artificial intelligence and virtual reality technology has enabled rehabilitation service systems based on virtual scenarios to provide patients with a multi-sensory simulation experience. However, the design methods of most rehabilitation service systems rarely consider the physician-manufacturer synergy in the patient rehabilitation process, as well as the problem of inaccurate quantitative evaluation of rehabilitation efficacy. Thus, this study proposes a design method for a smart rehabilitation product service system based on virtual scenarios. This method is important for upgrading the rehabilitation service system. First, the efficacy of rehabilitation for patients is quantitatively assessed using multimodal data. Then, an optimization mechanism for virtual training scenarios based on rehabilitation efficacy and a rehabilitation plan based on a knowledge graph are established. Finally, a design framework for a full-stage service system that meets user needs and enables physician-manufacturer collaboration is developed by adopting a "cloud-end-human" architecture. This study uses virtual driving for autistic children as a case study to validate the proposed framework and method. Experimental results show that the service system based on the proposed methods can construct an optimal virtual driving system and its rehabilitation program based on the evaluation results of patients' rehabilitation efficacy at the current stage. It also provides guidance for improving rehabilitation efficacy in the subsequent stages of rehabilitation services.

A neuroergonomic approach to assessing motor performance in stroke patients using fNIRS and behavioral data.

Stroke is characterized by high morbidity and disability, and proposing effective methods for assessing and designing rehabilitation products is an attractive topic in current research. In this study, a hand function rehabilitation aid was developed for stroke patients. Ten stroke patients and 20 healthy older people as a control group were recruited to perform a 600 s task after a 600 s resting by gripping a stick while clicking on a flashing light in an electronic insert in sequence according to a pattern. The functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and behavioral data were collected during their rehabilitation training. Brain function was analyzed using three indicators, namely brain area activation, functional connectivity and effective connectivity, while behavioral performance was analyzed using ten indicators, such as velocity and acceleration, and correlations were made between both. Followed by proposing a quantitative assessment method based on the fusion of multiple data sources. The results showed that the developed rehabilitation tool could effectively stimulate the patient's brain and help recover their cognitive and behavioral capacities. The scientific validity of the proposed assessment approach was further confirmed by contrasting the data results of the stroke group with those of the healthy elderly group. This study has integrated brain function and behavioral data, providing a practical quantitative evaluation method of product ergonomics and data-driven product design concepts for stroke patients.

Resveratrol regulates PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy via the lncRNA ZFAS1-miR-150-5p-PINK1 axis, and enhances the antitumor activity of paclitaxel against non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common malignant subtype of lung cancer with high mortality. Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural molecule that regulates mitochondrial metabolism. Here, we explored the effect of RSV on NSCLC cell mitophagy and paclitaxel (PTX) resistance. LncRNA ZFAS1, miR-150-5p, and PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) expressions in NSCLC cells were analyzed by RT-qPCR. Levels of PINK1, Parkin and autophagy related molecules LC3I and LC3II were assessed by western blot. Mitophagy was demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy. Luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-150-5p directly interacted with ZFAS1 or PINK1. MTT was performed to test the IC50 of NSCLC cells. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured with CCK-8, EdU, and TUNEL assays. A549/PTX cells exhibited a higher mitophagy activity, and chemoresistance, whereas RSV suppressed PTX resistance and mitophagy in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, ZFAS1 was found to be a downstream effector of RSV in NSCLC cells. We next found ZFAS1 directly interacted with miR-150-5p and regulated the expression of a key mitophagy regulator PINK1. In addition, RSV modulated PTX resistance and mitophagy in NSCLC via ZFAS1/miR-150-5p/PINK1 axis. We validate that RSV influences mitophagy and PTX resistance in NSCLC via ZFAS1/miR-150-5p mediated PINK1/Parkin pathway. Combining these 2 drugs may be a new option of NSCLC therapy.

Effects of long-term COVID-19 confinement and music stimulation on mental state and brain activity of young people.

The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have had a negative emotional impact on individuals. This study investigated the effect of long-term lockdown and music on young people's mood and neurophysiological responses in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Fifteen healthy young adults were recruited and PFC activation was acquired using functional near-infrared spectroscopy during the conditions of resting, Stroop and music stimulation. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales mental scale scores were simultaneously recorded. Mixed effect models, paired t-tests, one-way ANOVAs and Spearman analyses were adopted to analyse the experimental parameters. Stress, anxiety and depression levels increased significantly from Day 30 to Day 40. In terms of reaction time, both Stroop1 and Stroop2 were faster on Day 40 than on Day 30 (P = 0.01, P = 0.003). The relative concentration changes of oxyhemoglobin were significantly higher during premusic conditions than music stimulation and postmusic Stroop. The intensity of functional connectivity shifted from inter- to intracerebral over time. In conclusion, the reduced hemodynamic response of the PFC in healthy young adults is associated with negative emotions, especially anxiety, during lockdown. Immediate music stimulation appears to improve efficiency by altering the pattern of connections in PFC.

The Effects of a Virtual Reality Rehabilitation Task on Elderly Subjects: An Experimental Study Using Multimodal Data.

Ageing populations are becoming a global issue. Against this background, the assessment and treatment of geriatric conditions have become increasingly important. This study draws on the multisensory integration of virtual reality (VR) devices in the field of rehabilitation to assess brain function in young and old people. The study is based on multimodal data generated by combining high temporal resolution electroencephalogram (EEG) and subjective scales and behavioural indicators reflecting motor abilities. The phase locking value (PLV) was chosen as an indicator of functional connectivity (FC), and six brain regions, namely LPFC, RPFC, LOL, ROL, LMC and RMC, were analysed. The results showed a significant difference in the alpha band on comparing the resting and task states in the younger group. A significant difference between the two states in the alpha and beta bands was observed when comparing task states in the younger and older groups. Meanwhile, this study affirms that advancing age significantly affects human locomotor performance and also has a correlation with cognitive level. The study proposes a novel accurate and valid assessment method that offers new possibilities for assessing and rehabilitating geriatric diseases. Thus, this method has the potential to contribute to the field of rehabilitation medicine.

Age-related changes in brain functional networks under multisensory-guided hand movements assessed by the functional near - Infrared spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore the age-related effects of hand rehabilitation training under multisensory stimulation interaction on brain functional networks. METHODS: A multisensory stimulation training glove (MSTG) was designed to realize 3 sensory guidance modes, namely audio-visual guidance (AVG), visual guidance (VG) and no guidance (NG). This study recruited 20 older subjects as the experimental group and 22 young people as the control group. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to monitor haemoglobin concentration in the motor cortex (MC), prefrontal cortex (PFC), temporary lo be (TL) and occipital lobe (OL) under three different guidance stages, and further analysed the cortical activation and functional connectivity (FC). RESULTS: Multisensory guidance stage showed more activation and higher FC in all subjects. The activated brain regions of the older subjects showed bilateral activation, which is consistent with the Hemispheric Asymmetry Reduction in Older Adults (HAROLD) model. In terms of brain region coordination, older people have a more balanced and denser functional network in the left and right hemispheres compared to younger people. Meanwhile, multisensory stimulation produced a positive training effect on the number of training and reaction time. CONCLUSION: Audio-visual combined stimulation had a significant gain effect on hand training at different ages. However, older adults induce a wider range of cortical activations. At the same time, young and older people have different intercortical coordination networks. All these results provide theoretically and applied references for multisensory stimulation in the prevention and rehabilitation of ageing and brain neurological disorders.

A Multimodal Data Driven Rehabilitation Strategy Auxiliary Feedback Method: A Case Study.

In Industry 4.0, medical data present a trend of multisource development. However, in complex information networks, an information gap often exists in data exchange between doctors and patients. In the case of diseases with complex manifestations, doctors often perform qualitative analysis, which is macroscopic and fuzzy, to present treatment recommendations for patients. Improving the reliability of data acquisition and maximizing the potential of data, require attention. To solve these problems, a multimodal data-driven rehabilitation strategy auxiliary feedback method is proposed. In this study, depth sensor and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) were used to obtain ethology and brain function data, and skeleton tracking analysis and ethology discrete statistics were performed to assist the diagnostic feedback of rehabilitation strategies. This study takes rhythm rehabilitation training of autistic children as a case, and results show that the multimodal data-driven rehabilitation strategy auxiliary feedback method can provide effective feedback for individuals or groups. The proposed auxiliary decision method increases the dimension of data analysis and improves the reliability of analysis. Through discrete statistical results, the potential of data are maximized, thereby assisting the proposed rehabilitation strategy diagnostic feedback.

Functional Brain Network Analysis of Knowledge Transfer While Engineering Problem-Solving.

As a complex cognitive activity, knowledge transfer is mostly correlated to cognitive processes such as working memory, behavior control, and decision-making in the human brain while engineering problem-solving. It is crucial to explain how the alteration of the functional brain network occurs and how to express it, which causes the alteration of the cognitive structure of knowledge transfer. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms of knowledge transfer are rarely considered in existing studies. Thus, this study proposed functional connectivity (FC) to describe and evaluate the dynamic brain network of knowledge transfer while engineering problem-solving. In this study, we adopted the modified Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (M-WCST) reported in the literature. The neural activation of the prefrontal cortex was continuously recorded for 31 participants using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Concretely, we discussed the prior cognitive level, knowledge transfer distance, and transfer performance impacting the wavelet amplitude and wavelet phase coherence. The paired t-test results showed that the prior cognitive level and transfer distance significantly impact FC. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed that both wavelet amplitude and phase coherence are significantly correlated to the cognitive function of the prefrontal cortex. Therefore, brain FC is an available method to evaluate cognitive structure alteration in knowledge transfer. We also discussed why the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and occipital face area (OFA) distinguish themselves from the other brain areas in the M-WCST experiment. As an exploratory study in NeuroManagement, these findings may provide neurophysiological evidence about the functional brain network of knowledge transfer while engineering problem-solving.

Acute VR competitive cycling exercise enhanced cortical activations and brain functional network efficiency in MA-dependent individuals.

BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine (MA) dependence is associated with elevated rates cognitive impairment in MA users. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR) competitive cycling excise on the neurocognitive functions and on negative affectivity of MA-dependent individuals. METHODS: Thirty MA-dependent individuals performed a colour-word Stroop task and underwent a profile of mood states (POMS) scale assessment both before and after a 10 min VR competitive cycling exercise. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) were recorded during the pre-and post-exercise Stroop tasks and during rest. RESULTS: After acute exercise, neural activity, along with improved Stroop performance, was enhanced significantly in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Also observed during post-exercise Stroop tasks was a more efficient network architecture in the topological organization of brain networks than during the pre-exercise Stroop tasks. As for resting states before versus after exercisethe, we detected an increased functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and the motor cortex after exercise. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that an acute bout of VR competitive cycling exercise facilitates executive information processing by enhancing task-related cortical activations and brain functional network efficiency in MA-dependent individuals.

The effects of age on brain cortical activation and functional connectivity during video game-based finger-to-thumb opposition movement: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore the age-related changes in cerebral cortex activation and functional connectivity (FC) during finger-to-thumb opposition movement based on video games (FTOMBVG). METHODS: A electronic fingercot was developed for FTOMBVG. The oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (Delta [HbO]) signals, measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), were recorded from prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex (MC) and occipital lobe (OL) of two groups of subjects (old and young). RESULTS: The cognitive region of the old group showed bilateral activation, while the young group only showed unilateral activation. Both groups showed a wide range of bilateral activation in the motor region. The FC between cognitive region and motor region of the old group was enhanced considerably. CONCLUSION: Changes in cerebral cortex activation and the FC of different brain regions in the old group help explain the decline in cognitive executive and motor control function in the old from the perspective of brain functional structure, and provide a theoretical reference for the prevention of neural diseases caused by aging.

Effects of three different rehabilitation games' interaction on brain activation using functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVE: This study reveals the changes in brain activation due to different game interaction states based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy signals and discusses their significance for stroke rehabilitation. APPROACH: The oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (Delta [HbO2]) signals and the deoxygenated hemoglobin (Delta [HbR]) signals were recorded from the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the motor cortex (MC), the occipital lobe (OL) and the temporal lobe of 21 subjects (mean age: 24.6 ± 1.9 years old) in three game interaction states: physical, motion-sensing, and button-push training. The subjects were also asked to complete user-satisfaction survey scales after the experiment. MAIN RESULTS: Compared with the button-training state, several channels in the PFC and MC region of the physical-training state were significantly altered as were several channels in the RMC region of the motion-sensing training state (P < 0.05 after adjustment). The motion-sensing state of the PFC had a significant correlation with that of the MC and the OL. The subjective scale results show that the acceptability of the physical and motion-sensing states was greater than the acceptability of the button-push training state. SIGNIFICANCE: The results show that the brain regions responded more strongly when activated by the physical and motion-sensing states compared with the button-push training state, and the physical and motion-sensing states are more conducive to the rehabilitation of the nervous system. The design of rehabilitation products for stroke patients is discussed and valuable insights are offered to support the selection of better interactive training methods.

Decreased low-frequency brain effective connectivity in seafarers during voyages: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

OBJECTIVE: During voyages, seafarers experience psychological problems that act to decrease operational safety. Psychological problems in seafarers can lead to changes in functional brain networks. This study investigated the low-frequency brain effective connectivity (EC) in seafarers during voyages by using the coupling strength (CS) of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) imaging. APPROACH: This study recruited 15 seafarers (seafarer group) working on a container ship and 15 healthy age-matched controls (control group). The EC was assessed using dynamic Bayesian inference (DBI) of the oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (delta HbO2) as measured through a 14-channel fNIRS system. These channels covered the left and right prefrontal cortices (LPFC/RPFC), left and right motor cortices (LMC/RMC), and left and right occipital lobes (LOL/ROL). MAIN RESULTS: The EC levels of LPFC to RMC (F = 4.239, p = 0.049), LPFC to ROL (F = 5.385, p = 0.028), LOL to RPFC (F = 11.128, p = 0.002), ROL to RPFC (F = 10.714, p = 0.003) and LMC to ROL (F= 6.136, p = 0.02) were significantly lower in the seafarer group than in the control group. Correlation analysis revealed that the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores were positively correlated with the systolic blood pressure (SBP) values, delta HbO2 values and EC levels, respectively. Meanwhile, the correlation analysis revealed that the SBP values significantly positively correlated with the CS values. SIGNIFICANCE: Decreased EC levels may be a marker of psychological subhealth in seafarers. The approach combines fNIRS and PHQ-9 scores, providing a quantitative method for the assessment of mental health problems and further help with better rehabilitation designs in seafarers during voyages.

Acute kick-boxing exercise alters effective connectivity in the brain of females with methamphetamine dependencies.

OBJECTIVE: Methamphetamine (METH) dependence, especially among women, is a serious global health problem. Kick-boxing exercise can be used to reduce cue-induced craving and develop a healthy lifestyle for female with METH dependencies. This study aimed to assess acute kick-boxing related changes in effective connectivity (EC) in the brain of females with METH dependencies by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) signals. METHODS: The fNIRS signals were continuously recorded from the left and right prefrontal cortices (LPFC/RPFC) and left and right motor cortices (LMC/RMC) of 30 female subjects with methamphetamine dependencies (METH group) and 30 age-matched controls (control group) during resting and kick-boxing exercise (training) periods. EC was calculated in the frequency range of 0.01-0.08 Hz. RESULTS: In both resting and training state, the EC levels of METH group were significantly lower than the control group (p < 0.05). The EC levels of control group showed more significantly increased connection types than that of the METH group. CONCLUSION: Acute kick-boxing exercise altered EC in the brain of females with METH dependencies. Furthermore, the efficiency of the information flow between different brain regions in the control group was significantly higher than that in the METH group. This study provides a novel and portable assessment technique for METH rehabilitation in females on the basis of fNIRS signals.

Effects of physical training on brain functional connectivity of methamphetamine dependencies as assessed using functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the effects of physical training based on the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and heart rate signals. METHODS: The oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (Delta [HbO2]) signals were recorded from the left prefrontal cortex (LPFC), right prefrontal cortex (RPFC), left motor cortex (LMC) and right motor cortex (RMC) of 23 subjects with methamphetamine (METH) dependencies at resting, spinning training and strength training states. The wavelet phase coherence (WPCO) values were calculated in four frequency intervals: I, 0.6-2; II, 0.145-0.6; III, 0.052-0.145; and IV, 0.021-0.052 Hz. During the spinning training and strength training states, heart rate signals were recorded at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 min, respectively. RESULTS: After physical training, the brain regions of LPFC, RPFC and LMC showed different degrees of activation in the subjects with METH dependencies (p <  0.05). The WPCO values between the brain regions significantly altered after spinning training and strength training (p <  0.05) in frequency intervals I, II, III and IV. CONCLUSIONS: The altered WPCO values indicated physical training could affect brain functional connectivity (FC) to a certain extent in the subjects with METH dependencies. These findings provide a method for the assessment of the effects of physical training in FC and will contribute to the development of drug rehabilitation methods in subjects with METH dependencies.

Effective Connectivity in Subjects With Mild Cognitive Impairment as Assessed Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to reveal the physiological mechanism in subjects with mild cognitive impairment based on effective connectivity method. METHODS: Effective connectivity was assessed by dynamic Bayesian inference of the oxygenated hemoglobin concentration signals measured through functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The oxygenated hemoglobin concentration signals were recorded from the left prefrontal cortex, right prefrontal cortex, left motor cortex, right motor cortex, left occipital lobe, and right occipital lobe of 26 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (mild cognitive impairment group) and 28 healthy elderly subjects (control group) at resting state. RESULTS: The coupling strength of right prefrontal cortex to left prefrontal cortex (F = 7.964, P = 0.007) and left prefrontal cortex to right occipital lobe (F = 4.278, P = 0.044) in interval III as well as left prefrontal cortex to left occipital lobe (F = 5.637, P = 0.021), right occipital lobe to left prefrontal cortex (F = 4.762, P = 0.034), and right prefrontal cortex to left occipital lobe (F = 4.06, P = 0.049) in interval IV in the mild cognitive impairment group were significantly lower than those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The decreased effective connectivity levels among brain regions may be a marker of impaired cognitive function in the mild cognitive impairment group. The constructed effective connectivity network based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy provide a noninvasive method to assess mild cognitive impairment.

Alteration in Brain Functional and Effective Connectivity in Subjects With Hypertension.

To reveal the physiological mechanism of the cognitive decline in subjects with hypertension, the functional connectivity (FC) was assessed by using the wavelet phase coherence (WPCO), and effective connectivity (EC) was assessed by using the coupling strength (CS) of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals. NIRS signals were continuously recorded from the prefrontal cortex, sensorimotor cortex, and occipital lobes of 13 hypertensive patients (hypertension group, 70 ± 6.5 years old) and 16 elderly healthy subjects (control group, 71 ± 5.5 years old) in resting and standing periods. WPCO and CS were calculated in four frequency intervals: I, 0.6-2; II, 0.145-0.6; III, 0.052-0.145; and IV, 0.021-0.052 Hz. CS quantifies coupling amplitude. In comparison with the control group, the hypertension group showed significantly decreased (p < 0.05) WPCO and CS in intervals III and IV and in the resting and standing states. WPCO and CS were significantly decreased in the resting state compared with those in the standing state in the hypertension group (p < 0.05). Decreased WPCO and CS indicated a reduced network interaction, suggesting disturbed neurovascular coupling in subjects with hypertension. Compared with the control group, the hypertension group showed significantly lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (p = 0.028) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores (p = 0.011). In the hypertension group, correlation analysis showed that WPCO and CS were significantly positively correlated with MMSE and MoCA scores, respectively. These findings may provide evidence of impaired cognitive function in hypertension and can enhance the understanding on neurovascular coupling.

Effective Connectivity in Response to Posture Changes in Elderly Subjects as Assessed Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

This study aims to assess the posture-related changes in frequency-specific effective connectivity (EC) in elderly subjects by coupling function measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The fNIRS signals were continuously recorded from the bilateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex (MC), and occipital lobe (OL) in 17 healthy elderly and 19 healthy young subjects during sitting and standing states. EC was calculated based on Dynamic Bayesian inference in one low frequency interval I: 0.052-0.145 Hz and one very low frequency interval II: 0.021-0.052 Hz. Results show that in response to posture change, the coupling strength significantly increased in interval I of the young group from right PFC to MC (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the coupling strength of the elderly group was significantly increased in interval II from the left PFC to right PFC (p = 0.008) and to left MC (p = 0.031) in the standing state as compared with that in the sitting state. Compared with that of the young group, the coupling strength of the elderly group was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) between the right PFC and left PFC in interval I and from PFC and OL to MC in interval II during the sitting state. The decreased EC in interval I was also positively correlated with cognitive scores in the elderly group. In addition, the coupling strength from MC to PFC in interval II during standing state was significantly increased in elderly subjects as compared with that in the young group. These results revealed the age-related changes in reorganization of interregional interactions for different postures. These findings may provide evidence of impaired cognitive function in the elderly and can deepen the understanding on age-related changes in neurovascular coupling.