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The might of light for revealing neuropsychiatric mechanisms

Neuropsychopharmacology (2024)Cite this article

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Human in vivo optical neuroimaging has strong potential to advance neuropsychiatric disease elucidation and treatment. Akin to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for a proxy for brain hemodynamics and activity, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) systems apply two near-infrared wavelengths of light and read out reflections from the head to quantify real-time changes in hemoglobin oxygenation. Moreover, fNIRS measures are non-invasive, achieved using wearable devices, and have less movement sensitivity, facilitating feasibility and patient acceptability, and permitting measures in movement-prone populations, including children or individuals with movement disorders. Portable fNIRS devices permit study in ecologically salient environments, elucidating responses of brain systems subserving social processes in “real-world” settings. For example, fNIRS recently showed sensitivity in detecting differences in regional brain responses to in-person, compared to videoconferenced, face processing [1]. As social dysfunction is central to suffering and disability of psychiatric conditions, study in real-world settings may provide critical new information about disorder mechanisms that prior were elusive.

FNIRS’ feasibility also makes it amenable to repeated measurements to follow treatment response or disease progression. Temporal patterns of brain activity and related behaviors are increasingly thought to hold essential information about the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric conditions [2] and can provide early indicators of worsening to prevent progression and improve prognosis.

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Fig. 1: Human in vivo Broadband Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (bNIRS).

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Funding

This research was funded in part by BD2: Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorders Discovery Research Grant (KK, HPB), an internal pilot project funding through the Yale School of Medicine Promotion of Interdisciplinary Team Science award program, and the John and Hope Furth Endowment (HPB).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Kutlu Kaya & Hilary P. Blumberg

  2. Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Hilary P. Blumberg

  3. Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Hilary P. Blumberg

Authors
  1. Kutlu Kaya
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  2. Hilary P. Blumberg
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All authors have made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; provided final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

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Correspondence to Hilary P. Blumberg.

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Competing interests

HPB has consulted to the Milken Institute and has received an honorarium from Aetna for a talk. KK has nothing to disclose.

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Kaya, K., Blumberg, H.P. The might of light for revealing neuropsychiatric mechanisms. Neuropsychopharmacol. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-024-01974-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-024-01974-4

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