Enlightening the brain

Optical imaging (NIRS) has been introduced to cognitive neuroscience in recent years. It has decisive advantages in comparison with other imaging methods, namely easy application, insensitivity to movement artifacts and high temporal resolution. Accordingly, it is recommended for studies of cognitive neurodevelopment investigating neonates and children, and for researchers in psychiatry. We have developed various standard analysis approaches for this method, overcoming limitations such as the high variability of the so called “differential pathlength factor” (DPF). We investigated the reliability of the method and applied optical imaging in various studies including psychiatric and neurological patients (see also other projects). Furthermore, we explored the foundations of theneurovascular response (post-stimulus undershoot of the BOLD signal) with a multimodal imaging approach (plus fMRI).