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Journal of Pediatric Neurology 2004; 02(02): 085-089
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1557198
Original Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart – New York

Near infrared spectroscopy reveals neural activation during face perception in infants and adults

Gergely Csibra
1   Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, London, U.K.
,
Julian Henty
2   Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, University College, London, U.K.
,
Ágnes Volein
1   Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, London, U.K.
,
Clare Elwell
2   Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, University College, London, U.K.
,
Leslie Tucker
1   Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, London, U.K.
,
Judith Meek
3   Department of Paediatrics, University College London Hospital, London, U.K.
,
Mark H. Johnson
1   Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, London, U.K.
› Author Affiliations
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Further Information

Publication History

27 November 2003

19 December 2003

Publication Date:
29 July 2015 (online)

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Abstract

We used near infrared spectroscopy to measure changes in cerebral oxygenation in both human infants and adults as they viewed images of faces or control "visual noise" stimuli. At an occipital site, adults showed a significant increase in oxyhaemoglobin and a contrasting pattern of results was observed in infants. While the same general difference between the processing of the two stimuli was observed, a larger decrease in oxyhemoglobin concentration in response to faces than to visual noise was found in infants. These results demonstrate that near infrared spectroscopy can detect differences in stimulus processing induced by a complex visual stimulus in both infants and adults. (J Pediatr Neurol 2004; 2(2): 85–89).

Keywords

near infrared spectroscopy - face perception - infant brain development