Differential Path-Length Factor's Effect on the Characterization of Brain's Hemodynamic Response Function: A Functional Near-Infrared Study

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has evolved as a neuro-imaging modality over the course of the past two decades. The removal of superfluous information accompanying the optical signal, however, remains a challenge. A comprehensive analysis of each step is necessary to ensure the extraction of actual information from measured fNIRS waveforms. A slight change in shape could alter the features required for fNIRS-BCI applications. In the present study, the effect of the differential path-length factor (DPF) values on the characteristics of the hemodynamic response function (HRF) was investigated. Results were compiled for both simulated data sets and healthy human subjects over a range of DPF values from three to eight. Different sets of activation durations and stimuli were used to generate the simulated signals for further analysis. These signals were split into optical densities under a constrained environment utilizing known values of DPF. Later, different values of DPF were used to analyze the variations of actual HRF. The results, as summarized into four categories, suggest that the DPF can change the main and post-stimuli responses in addition to other interferences. Six healthy subjects participated in this study. Their observed optical brain time-series were fed into an iterative optimization problem in order to estimate the best possible fit of HRF and physiological noises present in the measured signals with free parameters. A series of solutions was derived for different values of DPF in order to analyze the variations of HRF. It was observed that DPF change is responsible for HRF creep from actual values as well as changes in HRF characteristics.