fNIRS monitoring for functional activity in motor cortex of lesioned monkey.

Abstract

Monitoring plastic change in nerve system during functional recovery from brain damage is important for establishing evidence-based rehabilitation methodology. Developing an fNIRS system with originally designed fNIRS optodes on the skull surface, the cerebral activation during macaque monkey's food retrieval by using alternated left and right hand was measured. Associating with the food retrieval, simultaneous increase in oxygenated hemoglobin and decrease in deoxygenated hemoglobin in both hemispheres were observed. Conducting the paired t-test on the hemodynamic difference between left vs right hand use, statistically significant regions were well localized at M1 area in both hemispheres. After the functional recovery from a brain damage in internal capsule, the ipsilesional premotor area showed additional activation during contralateral hand use. This finding coincides with a previous study using PET (Murata, 2015). The developed system allows for the accurate and stable monitoring of activity changes in the motor-related areas of unrestrained, awake macaque monkeys.