Neural correlates of cognitive decline in ALS: An fNIRS study of the prefrontal cortex

Mili S. Kuruvilla; Jordan R. Green; Hasan Ayaz; Daniel L. Murman

doi:10.1080/17588928.2013.797889

Neural correlates of cognitive decline in ALS: An fNIRS study of the prefrontal cortex

Mili S. Kuruvilla, Jordan R. Green, Hasan Ayaz, Daniel L. Murman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a clinically feasible functional neuroimaging modality for detecting early cortical changes due to neurodegenerative diseases that affect cognition. The objective of this preliminary investigation was to test for reduced prefrontal activity in persons with cognitive impairments due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Participants were required to complete two N-back working memory tasks of increasing complexity during fNIRS recordings. Five participants with ALS and age- and gender-matched healthy participants comprised the experimental and control groups, respectively. Significant reductions in prefrontal oxygenation levels were observed for the left and right hemispheres in the ALS group compared to the control group. Reduced prefrontal activation despite intact behavioral performance for a working memory task may suggest early neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and/or compensatory mechanisms in affected individuals. The fNIRS-derived oxygenation measure shows promise as a sensitive neural marker to identify early neuropsychological impairments due to ALS.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	115-121
Number of pages	7
Journal	Cognitive Neuroscience
Volume	4
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/17588928.2013.797889
State	Published - Jun 2013

Keywords

ALS
Cognition
Functional near infrared spectroscopy
N-back
fNIRS

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cognitive Neuroscience

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10.1080/17588928.2013.797889

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title = "Neural correlates of cognitive decline in ALS: An fNIRS study of the prefrontal cortex",

abstract = "Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a clinically feasible functional neuroimaging modality for detecting early cortical changes due to neurodegenerative diseases that affect cognition. The objective of this preliminary investigation was to test for reduced prefrontal activity in persons with cognitive impairments due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Participants were required to complete two N-back working memory tasks of increasing complexity during fNIRS recordings. Five participants with ALS and age- and gender-matched healthy participants comprised the experimental and control groups, respectively. Significant reductions in prefrontal oxygenation levels were observed for the left and right hemispheres in the ALS group compared to the control group. Reduced prefrontal activation despite intact behavioral performance for a working memory task may suggest early neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and/or compensatory mechanisms in affected individuals. The fNIRS-derived oxygenation measure shows promise as a sensitive neural marker to identify early neuropsychological impairments due to ALS.",

keywords = "ALS, Cognition, Functional near infrared spectroscopy, N-back, fNIRS",

author = "Kuruvilla, {Mili S.} and Green, {Jordan R.} and Hasan Ayaz and Murman, {Daniel L.}",

note = "Funding Information: Correspondence should be addressed to: Mili S. Kuruvilla, Munroe Meyer Institute of Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985450 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE68198-5450. E-mail: [email protected] This research was funded by the Barkley Trust, an NIH-NIDCD grant R01 DC009890, and a seed grant from the Munroe Meyer Institute of Genetics and Rehabilitation. The authors would like to thank Cynthia Didion, Lori Synhorst, Jun Wang, and Suyash Joshi for their help with data collection and analysis.",

year = "2013",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1080/17588928.2013.797889",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "4",

pages = "115--121",

journal = "Cognitive Neuroscience",

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AU - Kuruvilla, Mili S.

AU - Green, Jordan R.

AU - Ayaz, Hasan

AU - Murman, Daniel L.

N1 - Funding Information: Correspondence should be addressed to: Mili S. Kuruvilla, Munroe Meyer Institute of Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985450 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE68198-5450. E-mail: [email protected] This research was funded by the Barkley Trust, an NIH-NIDCD grant R01 DC009890, and a seed grant from the Munroe Meyer Institute of Genetics and Rehabilitation. The authors would like to thank Cynthia Didion, Lori Synhorst, Jun Wang, and Suyash Joshi for their help with data collection and analysis.

PY - 2013/6

Y1 - 2013/6

N2 - Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a clinically feasible functional neuroimaging modality for detecting early cortical changes due to neurodegenerative diseases that affect cognition. The objective of this preliminary investigation was to test for reduced prefrontal activity in persons with cognitive impairments due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Participants were required to complete two N-back working memory tasks of increasing complexity during fNIRS recordings. Five participants with ALS and age- and gender-matched healthy participants comprised the experimental and control groups, respectively. Significant reductions in prefrontal oxygenation levels were observed for the left and right hemispheres in the ALS group compared to the control group. Reduced prefrontal activation despite intact behavioral performance for a working memory task may suggest early neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and/or compensatory mechanisms in affected individuals. The fNIRS-derived oxygenation measure shows promise as a sensitive neural marker to identify early neuropsychological impairments due to ALS.

AB - Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a clinically feasible functional neuroimaging modality for detecting early cortical changes due to neurodegenerative diseases that affect cognition. The objective of this preliminary investigation was to test for reduced prefrontal activity in persons with cognitive impairments due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Participants were required to complete two N-back working memory tasks of increasing complexity during fNIRS recordings. Five participants with ALS and age- and gender-matched healthy participants comprised the experimental and control groups, respectively. Significant reductions in prefrontal oxygenation levels were observed for the left and right hemispheres in the ALS group compared to the control group. Reduced prefrontal activation despite intact behavioral performance for a working memory task may suggest early neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and/or compensatory mechanisms in affected individuals. The fNIRS-derived oxygenation measure shows promise as a sensitive neural marker to identify early neuropsychological impairments due to ALS.

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Neural correlates of cognitive decline in ALS: An fNIRS study of the prefrontal cortex

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