A real-time assessment of the relationship between neuronal activation and hemodynamic changes in humans

Date
2024-08-29
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Abstract
This dissertation aimed to develop and employ a novel multimodal neuroimaging approach utilizing electroencephalography (EEG), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD), finger photoplethysmography, electrocardiography, and capnography to study neurological, cerebrovascular, and cardiorespiratory responses during motor and visual tasks. The dissertation adopted a step-by-step approach for method development. Initially, a thorough systematic review of previous multimodal neuroimaging studies investigating neurovascular coupling/functional hyperemia was conducted to identify common limitations and equipment combinations (Chapter 2). This review informed the development of a novel concurrent integration of EEG-fNIRS-TCD neuromonitoring techniques with systemic physiological monitoring, detailed in Chapter 3. Following this, a pilot study involving 15 participants was conducted to assess the data quality from the three imaging modalities during resting motor (finger tapping) and visual (“Where’s Waldo/Wally?”) tasks (Chapter 4). These tasks were then performed during transient blood pressure oscillations induced by squat-stand maneuvers at 0.05 and 0.10 Hz to challenge the cerebrovasculature (Chapter 5), demonstrating that the neurovascular coupling task remained stable despite significant blood pressure fluctuations. Overall, the findings from this dissertation underscore the robustness of the EEG-fNIRS-TCD approach in capturing neuronal and cerebral hemodynamic responses across various tasks and hemodynamic challenges, providing better insight into cerebrovascular regulation.
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Keywords
Neuroscience, Cerebrovascular Physiology
Citation
Burma, J. S. (2024). A real-time assessment of the relationship between neuronal activation and hemodynamic changes in humans (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.