fNIRS Assessment during Cognitive Tasks in Elderly Patients with Depressive Symptoms

This study aimed to investigate differences in prefrontal cortex activation between older adults with and without depressive symptoms during cognitive tasks using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We examined 204 participants psychiatric or neurological disorders who completed the Geriatric Depression Scale, digit span, Verbal Fluency Test, Stroop test. At same time, was recorded fNIRS. During test, significantly reduced hemodynamics were observed depressive-symptom group. The mean accΔHbO2 of all channel averages 0.14 μM control group −0.75 (p = 0.03). right hemisphere average 0.13 −0.96 μM, respectively 0.02), left −0.54 0.12). There no significant difference hemodynamic response (mean accΔHbO2) two groups span backward VFT. In conclusion, frontal has been observed. fNIRS signal task may be used measure sensitively elderly.