FNIRS-based method for longitudinally tracking brain function development status of children

Abstract

The invention provides a method for longitudinally tracking the development condition of brain functions of children based on fNIRS. The method comprises the steps that for each child subject, a target task group crossing multiple preset age groups is provided, the target task group of each preset age group at least comprises a resting state task, and the target task group is matched with the representative brain function development condition of the child subject of the corresponding preset age group; collecting near-infrared data of the child subject when the child subject executes the target task groups matched with the child subject at different preset age groups, and / or collecting near-infrared data of the child subject when the child subject at different preset age groups executes the target task groups matched with the child subject, and analyzing the brain function development condition of the child subject in each preset age group. Therefore, the change rule of the brain function development condition of the child along with age increase can be obtained, and a doctor or a researcher can be guided subsequently to evaluate whether the brain function of the child subject is abnormal or not.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of near-infrared brain functional imaging, and particularly to a method for longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain functions based on fNIRS. Background Art

[0002] Childhood is the most critical period for the development of the human brain. During this period, the structure, functional connectivity, and cognitive level of children's brains are all in a stage of rapid development, and this development process will continue until early adulthood. It is of great significance to investigate the commonalities and individual differences in the development of brain function characteristics during childhood (0 - 18 years old), as well as the relationships between brain characteristics and behaviors at different times.

[0003] In the prior art, based on the near-infrared brain functional imaging (fNIRS) technology, the cerebral hemodynamic changes of healthy newborns within a specific age range after birth are detected to study the adjustment of newborns to natural phonemes. For infants aged 0 - 3 months and 3 - 6 months, based on the fNIRS technology, the cortical network organization, brain functional connectivity, and language network development of infants in these two age ranges in the resting state are studied. However, the studies using the fNIRS technology in the prior art only focus on the characteristics of the development of a specific function of the brains of children in isolated specific age ranges for local research, making it difficult to comprehensively understand the overall development of children's brain functions, and also unable to understand the dynamic changes and trends of children's brain functions with age. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above technical problems existing in the prior art, this application is proposed. The purpose of this application is to provide a method for longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain functions based on fNIRS, which can provide a method for accurately tracking the representative brain function development status of children across different age ranges, thus facilitating doctors or researchers to analyze the laws of changes in children's brain functions with age.

[0005] According to the first aspect of this application, there is provided a method for longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain functions based on fNIRS. The method includes, for each child subject, providing a target task group across multiple preset age ranges, where the target task group for each preset age range includes at least a resting state task, and the target task group is adapted to the representative brain function development status of the child subject corresponding to the preset age range; using an fNIRS device to collect the near-infrared data of the child subject when performing the target task group adapted to it at different preset age ranges, and / or, collecting the near-infrared data of each child subject at different preset age ranges when performing the target task group adapted to it; analyzing the brain function development status of the child subject at each of the preset age ranges based on the near-infrared data.

[0006] According to the second solution of the present application, there is provided a device for longitudinally tracking the brain function development status of children based on fNIRS. The device includes a processor configured to: for each child subject, provide a target task group across multiple preset age ranges, where the target task group for each preset age range includes at least a resting state task, and the target task group is adapted to the representative brain function development status of the child subject corresponding to the preset age range; obtain near-infrared data of the child subject when performing the target task group adapted to him / her at different preset age ranges, and / or obtain near-infrared data of each child subject at different preset age ranges when performing the target task group adapted to him / her; analyze the brain function development status of the child subject at each of the preset age ranges based on the near-infrared data.

[0007] According to the third solution of the present application, there is provided a near-infrared brain function imaging device, including the device for longitudinally tracking the brain function development status of children based on fNIRS described in each embodiment of the present application.

[0008] According to the fourth solution of the present application, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the processor is caused to execute the steps of the method for longitudinally tracking the brain function development status of children based on fNIRS described in each embodiment of the present application.

[0009] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present application are as follows:

[0010] The method for longitudinal tracking of the development status of children's brain functions provided by the embodiments of the present application provides a target task group for each child subject at multiple preset age groups. The target task group is adapted to the representative brain function development status of child subjects corresponding to the preset age groups, so as to obtain the development of different brain functions of child subjects at different ages. Moreover, the target task group executed for child subjects at different preset age groups in the present application includes a resting state task. In this way, the development status of the representative brain functions concerned by doctors or researchers with age growth is analyzed. After the coherent connection of each preset age group, the entire development stage of the child subject from infancy to childhood is formed. By collecting near-infrared data when child subjects at different preset age groups execute the target task group, and analyzing the brain function development status of child subjects at each preset age group based on the near-infrared data, the longitudinal tracking of the development status of children's brain functions can be realized. Compared with the research on the development status of the brain functions of child subjects only at specific age groups, the method provided by the embodiments of the present application can accurately track the development status of the brain functions of child subjects from infancy to childhood based on fNIRS. In addition, the present application not only considers the individual differences of child subjects to track the development status of the brain functions of the same child subject at different ages, but also can track the development status of the brain functions of multiple different child subjects at different ages, so as to obtain the change rules of the development status of the brain functions of the same child or most children with age growth. It can also be used to obtain the corresponding age groups for evaluating different brain function-related diseases based on this, and is beneficial to subsequent guiding doctors or researchers to evaluate whether there are abnormal conditions in the brain functions of child subjects.

[0011] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present application. In order to be able to understand the technical means of the present application more clearly, it can be implemented according to the content of the specification. And in order to make the above description and other purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present application are specifically exemplified below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, the same reference numerals may describe similar components in different views. Similar reference numerals with alphabetical suffixes or different alphabetical suffixes may represent different examples of similar components. The drawings generally illustrate various embodiments by way of example and not limitation, and are used together with the specification and the claims to explain the disclosed embodiments. Such embodiments are illustrative and exemplary and are not intended to be an exhaustive or exclusive embodiment of the method, apparatus, system or non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions for implementing the method.

[0013] Figure 1 The flowchart showing the method for longitudinal tracking of the development status of children's brain functions according to the embodiments of the present application is shown.

[0014] Figure 2 Show a target task group adapted to child subjects of different preset age groups according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0015] Figure 3 Show a schematic diagram of a device for longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain functions according to an embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0016] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present application, the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation manners. The embodiments of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples, but it is not a limitation to the present application.

[0017] The "first", "second" and similar terms used in the present application do not denote any order, quantity or importance, but are only used for distinction. The terms "including" or "comprising" and the like used in the present application mean that the elements before this word cover the elements listed after this word, and do not exclude the possibility of also covering other elements. In the present application, the arrows shown in the figures for each step are only examples of the execution order and not limitations. The technical solutions of the present application are not limited to the execution order described in the embodiments. The steps in the execution order can be executed together, can be decomposed, and can be reordered as long as the logical relationship of the execution content is not affected.

[0018] All terms (including technical terms or scientific terms) used in the present application have the same meaning as understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present application pertains, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in a general dictionary, such as those, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless specifically defined as such here. Technologies and devices known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such technologies and devices should be regarded as part of the specification.

[0019] The method for longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain functions provided by the embodiments of the present application includes Figure 1Steps S101 - S103 are shown. In step S101, for each child subject, a target task group across multiple preset age ranges is provided, where the target task group for each preset age range includes at least a resting - state task, and the target task group is adapted to the representative brain function development status of the child subject corresponding to the preset age range. Among them, the brain function development status mainly involves changes in aspects such as cognition and emotion of an individual at different age stages. The development of brain function is a continuous process, extending from infancy to adulthood and even longer. In infancy, the brain mainly establishes basic neural circuits through the connection and synapse formation of neurons to support basic perception and motor functions. At this stage, the infant will gradually learn to control his / her head and limbs and respond to stimuli such as sound and light. As the age increases, the brain of the child subject continues to develop and shape, and the executive ability, cognitive ability, and language ability gradually improve. For example, the development of the prefrontal lobe is related to the improvement of cognitive ability, and the development of the temporal lobe and parietal lobe is related to the development of language ability, etc. Specifically, the left temporal lobe is mainly responsible for language understanding, especially auditory language information. The parietal lobe is located at the top of the brain and is responsible for processing sensory information, especially sensations such as touch, temperature, and pain. In addition, in terms of language, the parietal lobe is mainly responsible for processing sensory information of handwriting and spoken output, and damage to the left parietal lobe will lead to language output disorders, which may cause problems such as difficulty in language expression or writing difficulties.

[0020] At different preset age ranges, the attention levels to the brain function development status of different aspects of the child subject are different. For example, in infancy, the focus is mainly on studying the changes in the basic neural network during the brain development process of the child subject; in the school - age period, the focus is mainly on studying the development of the executive function of the child subject's brain; in the juvenile period, the focus is mainly on studying the development of the language function of the child subject's brain. Taking this as an example only, the brain function development status concerned for the child subject in different preset age ranges or different growth periods is not specifically limited, and specifically it can be determined by doctors or researchers according to clinical research results or according to their own research needs.

[0021] Specifically, the representative brain function development status may include one or more of basic neural network changes, executive function, cognitive function, and language function. Among them, the basic neural network changes can be understood as the patterns of connection and communication between neurons in the child's brain and the development and change of neural circuits. This kind of change occurs during the nervous system development process of the child subject and has an important impact on the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development of the child subject. The brain neural network of children is in an important formation stage, and the study of basic neural network changes can better understand the development mechanism of the child subject's brain.

[0022] The described executive function can be understood as the ability of attention control, working memory, flexibility, reasoning ability, and problem-solving. In school-age and childhood child subjects, their executive function develops rapidly. For example, when asking child subjects to concentrate on completing a task or flexibly switch between multiple tasks, it involves executive function. Cognitive function can be understood as the ability to process, interpret, and understand information during the cognitive process, including multiple aspects such as perception (e.g., vision, hearing, etc.), attention (selectively focusing on certain information), memory (storage and recall of information), language (understanding and generating language), etc. Cognitive function is divided into language function, which can be understood as the ability to use and understand language. This ability not only involves making sounds or forming words but also includes understanding the meaning of language, grammar rules, and context, etc. For children, as they grow older, their language ability will be significantly improved, from simple vocabulary to complex sentences and conversations.

[0023] In this embodiment, the provided multiple target task groups are adapted to the representative brain function development status of child subjects of a preset age range. For example, when the child subject is in infancy, the representative brain function development status can be the change of the basic neural network, and the provided target task group can be asking the child subject to perform a resting-state task. Another example, when the child subject is in childhood, the representative brain function development status can be cognitive function or language function, and the provided target task group can include asking the child subject to perform a resting-state task, a VFT task, or a GO / NO-GO task. Only as an exemplary illustration, the target task groups for different preset age ranges can be set by doctors or researchers themselves.

[0024] The target task groups across multiple preset age ranges provided by the embodiments of the present application at least include a resting-state task. The resting-state task can be asking the child subject to maintain a comfortable and stable lying position with hands placed naturally, or asking the child subject to maintain a sleeping state. The target task groups performed by child subjects of different preset age ranges all include a resting-state task. In this way, by comparing the near-infrared data collected when child subjects of different preset age ranges or child subjects in different preset age ranges perform the resting-state task, the development status of the representative brain function concerned by doctors or researchers with the growth of age can be analyzed. In addition, further combining the near-infrared data collected when child subjects perform tasks such as VFT, GO / NO-GO, or other task paradigms, the development changes of the concerned brain function of child subjects with the growth of age can be obtained more accurately.

[0025] In step S102, using the fNIRS (functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy) device, near-infrared data of the child subject is collected when performing the target task group adapted to the child at different preset age groups, and / or near-infrared data of each child subject at different preset age groups when performing the target task group adapted to the child is collected. Among them, the fNIRS device can be a near-infrared data acquisition device, and the near-infrared data acquisition device is used to collect near-infrared data of the child subject when performing the target task group. Exemplarily, the near-infrared data acquisition device at least has a head cap, and the head cap is used to be worn on the head of the child subject. Specifically, the sizes of the heads of child subjects at different preset age groups are different, and the head cap can be adapted according to the head shapes of child subjects at different preset age groups.

[0026] The head cap can have multiple probes for transmitting near-infrared light and / or receiving near-infrared light. Among them, each of the multiple probes can be configured as a transmitting probe or a receiving probe, and each pair of arranged probes can form a detection channel. In some embodiments, one transmitting probe can correspond to multiple receiving probes, or vice versa, one receiving probe corresponds to multiple transmitting probes, and their paired relationship is determined according to specific requirements such as the arrangement position of the probes and the brain function area to be detected.

[0027] Among them, longitudinal tracking can be understood as tracking the development status of the brain function of the child subject with age. Specifically, it can be to collect near-infrared data of the same child subject from infancy to childhood when performing the target task group adapted to the preset age group where the child is located. For example, for the same child subject, near-infrared data when performing the target task group is collected once or multiple times at each age group of infancy, early school age, middle school age, late school age, school age, and childhood.

[0028] Alternatively, a doctor or researcher may also collect near-infrared data of one or more different child subjects when performing a set of target tasks adapted to this age group for infancy; collect near-infrared data of one or more different child subjects when performing a set of target tasks adapted to this age group for early school age; collect near-infrared data of one or more different child subjects when performing a set of target tasks adapted to this age group for school age; collect near-infrared data of one or more different child subjects when performing a set of target tasks adapted to this age group for pre-adolescence. Among them, the child subjects in different periods may be the same or different, and no limitation is made thereto. Considering the individual differences of child subjects, the method provided in the embodiments of the present application can longitudinally track the brain function development status of the same child subject, so as to analyze the brain function development law of the child subject during the growth process, which is beneficial to predicting or diagnosing diseases that the child subject may suffer from. In addition, to study the change law of the brain function development status of children, the method provided in the embodiments of the present application can also study the brain function development status of multiple child subjects at different age stages. For example, based on the near-infrared data of multiple child subjects at different age stages, the change law of the brain function development status of children with age growth can be obtained. Subsequently, a doctor or researcher can evaluate the brain function development status of other child subjects based on this brain function development status law.

[0029] Merely by way of example, the preset age groups may be distributed in two or more periods among infancy, early childhood, early preschool age, middle preschool age, late preschool age, school age, and pre-adolescence, and no limitation is made thereto. The setting of the preset age groups may be configured by a doctor or researcher himself / herself.

[0030] In step S103, based on the near-infrared data, analyze the brain function development status of the child subject at each of the preset age groups. Specifically, based on the near-infrared data of the same child subject collected at different preset age groups or of child subjects at different preset age groups when performing the adapted set of target tasks, the activation conditions of the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, or other concerned brain regions, the functional connection conditions between different concerned brain regions, or other features related to the concerned brain regions for reflecting brain functions can be obtained. In this way, longitudinal tracking of the brain function development status of the child subject at each preset age group is realized.

[0031] The method for longitudinal tracking of the development status of children's brain functions provided by the embodiments of the present application provides a target task group for each child subject at multiple preset age groups. The target task group is adapted to the representative brain function development status of child subjects corresponding to the preset age groups, so as to obtain the development of different brain functions of child subjects at different ages. Moreover, the target task group executed for child subjects at different preset age groups in the present application includes a resting state task. In this way, the development status of the representative brain functions concerned by doctors or researchers with age growth can be analyzed. After the coherent connection of each preset age group, the entire development stage of the child subject from infancy to childhood is formed. By collecting near-infrared data when child subjects at different preset age groups execute the target task group, and analyzing the brain function development status of child subjects at each preset age group based on the near-infrared data, the longitudinal tracking of the development status of children's brain functions can be realized. Compared with the research on the development status of the brain functions of child subjects only at specific age groups, the method provided by the embodiments of the present application can accurately track the development status of the brain functions of child subjects from infancy to childhood based on fNIRS. In addition, the present application not only considers the individual differences of child subjects to track the brain function development status of the same child subject at different ages, but also can track the brain function development status of multiple different child subjects at different ages, so as to obtain the change rules of the brain function development status of the same child or most children with age growth. It can also be used to obtain the corresponding age groups for evaluating different brain function-related diseases based on this, and is beneficial to subsequent guiding doctors or researchers to evaluate whether there are abnormal conditions in the brain functions of child subjects.

[0032] In the present application, the arrows shown in the figure for each step are only examples of the execution order and do not limit. The technical solution of the present application is not limited to the execution order described in the embodiments. Each step in the execution order can be executed together, can be decomposed, and can be reordered as long as the logical relationship of the execution content is not affected.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present application, the multiple preset age ranges include a first age range distributed in infancy, a second age range distributed in early childhood and / or early preschool age, a third age range distributed in middle preschool age and / or late preschool age, and a fourth age range distributed in school age and / or juvenile age. Among them, the infancy may be the age range from birth to the end of 12 months. The period from birth to full moon of the baby is the neonatal period, and this neonatal period is also included in the infancy. The early childhood may be from 1 year old to 3 years old, the preschool age may be from 3 years old to 6 - 7 years old, the school age may be from 6 - 7 years old to 15 years old, and the juvenile age may be from 11 years old to 17 years old. The preschool age includes early preschool age, such as 3 - 4 years old, middle preschool age, such as 4 - 5 years old, and late preschool age, such as 5 - 6 years old, and there is no strict limitation on this. The age division of each preset age range may also be in other ways. For example, the early childhood may also be from 1 year old to 4 years old, and there is no strict limitation on this. Each preset age range is distributed in each period of children's growth. Based on the analysis of the near-infrared data of the child subject when performing the target tasks in the target task group at each preset age range, a systematic and scientific study of the brain function development status of the child subject during the entire growth and development stage can be realized, which is beneficial to improving the accuracy of subsequent risk assessment of brain function-related diseases for the child subject.

[0034] The target task group across multiple preset age ranges specifically includes that when the child subject is in the first age range, a resting state task is provided to the child subject, and the near-infrared data collected in the first age range is the near-infrared data of the first attention brain region when the child subject is performing the resting state task. Specifically, as Figure 2 shown, in step 201, when the child subject is in the first age range, a resting state task is provided to the child subject, and the near-infrared data of the first attention brain region is obtained. Among them, the first age range is distributed in infancy. For example, the first age range may be from birth to 1 year old. Considering the special physiological and behavioral characteristics of infants, for newborns, it is impossible to achieve a sitting posture. The specific method for performing the resting state task may be to let the infant be in a lying sleeping state and collect the near-infrared data of the infant in the lying sleeping state. The collection time may be 7 - 15 minutes. For infants aged 3 - 6 months, the specific method for performing the resting state task may be to let the infant be in a lying sleeping state and / or in a lying awake state. Specifically, the near-infrared data of infants aged from 3 to 6 months in the lying sleeping state and the lying awake state are respectively collected, and the collection time may be 7 - 15 minutes. Among them, the collection time may also be other times, and there is no specific limitation on this, to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of the data.

[0035] Among them, the first region of interest in the brain can be one or more of the temporal lobe and the frontal lobe, and there is no limitation on this. For example, a doctor or researcher can set the first region of interest in the brain according to the development status of the representative brain function to be studied.

[0036] In step 202, when the child subject is in the second age group, a resting-state task is provided to the child subject to obtain near-infrared data of the second region of interest in the brain. For example, the second age group can be from 1 year old to 4 years old. From the first age group to the second age group, the brain of the child subject will experience rapid growth and development, forming basic neural networks and brain functional connections. For a child subject in the second age group, the connections between brain neurons continue to increase, forming a complex brain network, and the brain function develops rapidly. For example, the child subject can sit, crawl, stand, walk, express language, etc. Further, near-infrared data of the second region of interest in the brain of the child subject when performing the resting-state task is collected. For example, in the case where the child subject cannot independently maintain a sitting position, near-infrared data of the child subject in a lying awake state or a lying sleeping state can be collected; in the case where the child subject can independently maintain a sitting position, near-infrared data of the child subject in a lying awake state and / or a sitting awake state can be collected to facilitate the analysis of the brain function of the visual cortex of the child subject. That is to say, when the child subject is in the second age group, a resting-state task is provided to the child subject, and the near-infrared data collected in the second age group is the near-infrared data of the second region of interest in the brain of the child subject when performing the resting-state task, where the second region of interest in the brain can be the same as or different from the first region of interest in the brain.

[0037] In some embodiments, by analyzing and comparing the near-infrared data of the child subjects in the first age group and the second age group, the change law of the brain function development status of the child subjects with age growth in these two age groups is determined, which is beneficial to improving the accuracy of subsequent risk assessment of brain function-related diseases for the child subjects. For example, through the comparative analysis of near-infrared data, it is found that compared with the child subjects in the first age group, the child subjects in the second age group have lower efficiency of basic neural network organization, and the child subjects in the second age group are difficult to understand the emotions or non-verbal communication of others, and are even not interested in interacting with others. From this, it can be evaluated that the child subject has a tendency to suffer from autism.

[0038] When the child subject is in the third age group, a resting-state task and a first brain activation task are provided to the child subject. The near-infrared data collected in the third age group is the near-infrared data of the third region of interest of the child subject when performing the resting-state task and the first brain activation task. Specifically, in step 203, when the child is in the third age group, a resting-state task and a first brain activation task are provided to the child subject, and the near-infrared data of the third region of interest is obtained. For example, the third age group can be from 4 years old to 7 years old. For a child subject in the third age group, the resting-state task can be to maintain a sitting posture and stay awake and relaxed. The first brain activation task can be a Go / No-go task, which requires the child subject to respond to a certain stimulus (i.e., the Go task) and not respond to another stimulus (i.e., the No-go task). Based on the near-infrared data of the third region of interest of the child subject when performing the resting-state task and the first brain activation task, on the one hand, it can be compared and analyzed with the near-infrared data of child subjects in other age groups to obtain the variation law of the brain function development of the child subject with age. On the other hand, by studying the brain function development of children, it can be found that the tendency of the child subject to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can be evaluated in the third age group.

[0039] When the child subject is in the fourth age group, a resting-state task, a first brain activation task and a second brain activation task are provided to the child subject. The near-infrared data collected in the fourth age group is the near-infrared data of the fourth region of interest of the child subject when performing the resting-state task, the first brain activation task and the second brain activation task. Specifically, in step 204, when the child subject is in the fourth age group, which is from 7 years old to 12 years old, a resting-state task, a first brain activation task and a second brain activation task are provided to the child subject, and the near-infrared data of the fourth region of interest is obtained. Compared with the child subject in the third age group, when the child subject is in the fourth age group, the near-infrared data of the fourth region of interest of the child subject when performing the resting-state task, the first brain activation task and the second brain activation task is collected, so as to provide more abundant near-infrared data and more comprehensively reflect the brain function development of the child subject.

[0040] Specifically, the second brain activation task can be a VFT task, which requires the child subject to say as many words of a certain type as possible within a specified time. For example, for a few single characters to form words, the collection duration can be 2 - 4 minutes, or it can be other durations, and no specific limitation is made here. Among them, the child subject can perform the second brain activation task after the first brain activation task, or perform the first brain activation task after the second brain activation task, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present application, for child examinees of overlapping ages in each preset age group, the target task groups corresponding to the preset age groups where the overlapping ages are located can be executed, and near-infrared data of the attention brain regions corresponding to the preset age groups can be obtained. Exemplarily, for a 4-year-old child examinee, the target task groups of the second age group and the third age group can be executed. When performing the resting-state task, the near-infrared data of the second attention brain region and the third attention brain region are collected. When performing the first brain activation task, the near-infrared data of the third attention brain region are collected.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present application, the first brain activation task is a Go / No-go task, and images for the child examinee to perform the Go / No-go task are provided. For example, pictures of small animals are presented to the child examinee, and the child examinee is required to quickly respond to the Go stimulus (a picture of a chick) and press a button, while not making a button response to the No-go stimulus (a picture of a duck). It mainly detects the examinee's ability to respond or inhibit responses to different stimuli. The Go / No-go task has been widely used in psychology, neuroscience, and clinical research. For example, it can be used to study the cognitive and neural mechanisms of diseases such as schizophrenia, depression, and ADHD, as well as to evaluate the treatment effects of these diseases. In addition to the traditional Go / No-go analysis based on accuracy, further analysis can be performed according to the reaction time of the examinee. For example, the average reaction times of the examinee to Go and No-go stimuli can be compared, or metrics such as the standard deviation of the reaction time of the examinee to the No-go stimulus can be calculated to study the examinee's ability to respond or inhibit responses to different stimuli.

[0043] The second brain activation task is a VFT task, and text prompts and / or voice prompts for the child examinee to perform the VFT task are provided. For example, performing the VFT task specifically includes asking the child examinee to rest for 30 seconds and providing a voice prompt "Please repeat counting 12345". At this time, the child examinee should repeat saying "12345" according to the voice prompt. In the word combination task stage, pictures of "white", "north", and "big" are respectively provided to the child examinee, and the child examinee is required to form as many words as possible and say them out within a specified time after the Chinese character prompt appears. Only as an example, the specific content of the text prompt and the voice prompt is not limited and can be set by the doctor or researcher themselves.

[0044] Children subjects in each of the preset age groups perform the same resting-state task, and the resting-state task is used to characterize the changes in the basic neural network during the brain development of children subjects. In the third and fourth age groups, children subjects are also required to perform the first brain activation task, and the first brain activation task is used to characterize the development of the executive function of children subjects. In the fourth age group, children subjects are further required to perform the second brain activation task, and the second brain activation task is used to characterize the development of the language function of children subjects.

[0045] In some embodiments of the present application, each of the first region of interest and the fourth region of interest at least includes one of the frontal lobe, the left temporal lobe, and the right temporal lobe; the second region of interest at least includes one of the frontal lobe, the left temporal lobe, the right temporal lobe, and the parietal lobe; the third region of interest at least includes one of the frontal lobe, the left temporal lobe, the right temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the occipital lobe. In a preferred embodiment, the first, second, third, and fourth regions of interest all include the fronto-temporal lobe. Specifically, near-infrared data of the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe of children subjects in the first age group, the second age group, the third age group, and the fourth age group can be collected to analyze the changes in the auditory function, speech function, and cognitive function of children subjects with age.

[0046] In some embodiments of the present application, near-infrared data of the parietal lobe of the second region of interest and the parietal lobe of the third region of interest can be collected to analyze the development of functions such as the sensation, movement, and spatial cognition of children subjects. Near-infrared data of the occipital lobe in the third region of interest can also be collected to study the development of the visual function of children subjects.

[0047] Figure 3Schematic diagram showing a device for longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain functions according to an embodiment of the present application. The device 300 for longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain functions at least includes a processor 301 and a display 302. Among them, the processor 301 is configured to provide a target task group across multiple preset age ranges for each child subject. Each target task group for a preset age range at least includes a resting state task, and the target task group is adapted to the representative brain function development status of the child subject corresponding to the preset age range; obtain near-infrared data of the child subject when performing the target task group adapted to him / her at different preset age ranges, and / or obtain near-infrared data of each child subject at different preset age ranges when performing the target task group adapted to him / her; analyze the brain function development status of the child subject at each of the preset age ranges based on the near-infrared data. In this way, a target task group for multiple preset age ranges is provided for each child subject, and the target task group is adapted to the representative brain function development status of the child subject corresponding to the preset age range, so as to obtain the development of different brain functions of child subjects at different ages. Moreover, in the present application, the target task groups performed by child subjects at different preset age ranges all include resting state tasks. In this way, the development status of the representative brain functions concerned by doctors or researchers with age growth is analyzed. After the coherent connection of each preset age range, it constitutes the entire development stage of the child subject from infancy to childhood. By collecting near-infrared data of child subjects at different preset age ranges when performing the target task group and analyzing the brain function development status of the child subject at each preset age range based on the near-infrared data, longitudinal tracking of the development status of children's brain functions can be realized.

[0048] Compared with the research on the development status of the brain functions of child subjects only for a specific age range, the method provided by the embodiment of the present application can accurately track the development status of the brain functions of child subjects from infancy to childhood based on fNIRS. In addition, the present application not only considers the individual differences of child subjects to track the development status of the brain functions of the same child subject at different ages, but also can track the development status of the brain functions of multiple different child subjects at different ages, so as to obtain the change rules of the development status of the brain functions of the same child or most children with age growth. It can also be used to obtain the corresponding age ranges for evaluating different brain function-related diseases based on this, and is conducive to subsequent guiding doctors or researchers to evaluate whether there are abnormal conditions in the brain functions of child subjects.

[0049] The display 302 is used to present each target task group. For example, it displays the task descriptions or pictures and other related contents in each target task group.

[0050] In some embodiments of the present application, such as Figure 3As shown, the processor 301 is configured to provide an information input box 303, and the information input box 303 at least includes an age item of the child subject. The doctor or researcher verifies the identity with the child subject and inputs the age information of the child subject into the age item in the information input box 303. Then, the input age information is confirmed again. When it is confirmed to be correct, a confirmation operation is performed, and the processor 301 provides a target task group that matches the age of the child subject in response to the confirmation operation of the input content in the information input box 303. For example, when the age of the child subject is 12 years old, the doctor or researcher clicks to confirm after verifying that the age information in the information input box 303 is correct, and then a target task group including a resting state task, a first brain activation task, and a second brain activation task is automatically provided.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present application, the processor 301 is configured to process the acquired near-infrared data corresponding to different preset age ranges and analyze the changing trend of the brain function development status of the child subject with age growth. Specifically, the processor 301 can analyze and process the near-infrared data of each preset age range based on the acquired near-infrared data of the child subjects in the first age range, the second age range, the third age range, and the fourth age range when performing the target tasks in the target task group, and display the changing trend of the brain function development status of the child subject with age growth on the display 302, or generate an analysis report.

[0052] Specifically, for child subjects of different age ranges, such as infants, toddlers, preschool children, school-age children, etc., it is necessary to ensure that there are sufficient data samples for each age range to perform effective statistical analysis.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the results of the statistical analysis, the changing trend of the brain function development status of the child subject with age growth is explained, such as the brain function development speed and direction of the same subject at different ages, and the differences in brain function development of different subjects at different ages. These analysis results are applied to clinical practice to provide a basis for the monitoring and intervention of the brain function development status of children. For example, early diagnosis and intervention programs are provided for children with developmental delays or abnormalities to improve their cognitive and behavioral abilities.

[0054] It can be understood that the processor 301 is also configured to execute each step of the above method for longitudinally tracking the brain function development status of children based on fNIRS.

[0055] In some embodiments of the present application, a near-infrared brain functional imaging device is provided, including the device for longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain function described in various embodiments of the present application. By longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain function, doctors or researchers can timely detect problems in children's neurodevelopment. For children at risk of brain function loss, doctors or researchers can take early intervention measures, such as providing specific rehabilitation training, drug treatment, or psychological counseling, etc., to improve their cognitive, emotional, and behavioral abilities.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present application, fNIRS is used to longitudinally track the development status of children's brain function to assist in establishing a children's brain atlas. This can not only provide valuable data for research in fields such as neuroscience, psychology, and medicine, but also help doctors or researchers better understand the laws and mechanisms of children's brain function development, help them understand at which age children can be evaluated for brain function-related diseases they may have, and thus contribute to providing a more scientific and accurate treatment plan for the treatment of children's brain function loss, providing new ideas and methods for future research and treatment.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present application, the near-infrared brain functional imaging device is at least equipped with a set of head caps of different models suitable for the head characteristics of child subjects in different preset age groups. The head caps are used to be worn on the heads of child subjects to collect near-infrared data when the child subjects perform target tasks in a target task group adapted to their preset age group. The processor 301 is further configured to present a preset configuration suitable for child subjects to perform the target task group at each preset age group, where the preset configuration at least includes the model of the head cap, so that the head cap worn by the child subject when performing the target task conforms to the head characteristics of the child subject, and the arrangement of the probes on the head cap is associated with the preset age group of the child subject. Specifically, a preset configuration suitable for child subjects to perform the target task group at each preset age group, including the model of the head cap, can be displayed on the display 302. The preset configuration can provide the models of head caps suitable for child subjects in different preset age groups for reference by doctors or researchers. Doctors or researchers can select the provided reference head cap models or select the head cap models according to the head characteristics of the child subjects themselves.

[0058] Specifically, the shape and size of the head of a child subject can affect the propagation of near-infrared light in the brain tissue. If the size of the headgear does not match the head circumference of the subject, the transmitting probe and the receiving probe may not fit tightly against the head, resulting in interference with the optical signal during propagation and thus affecting the accuracy of the detection data. In addition, if the worn headgear is too loose or too tight, the subject may feel discomfort during the detection, especially for child subjects, which may even affect the smooth progress of near-infrared detection.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present application, the near-infrared data obtained at an appropriate SD spacing can largely reflect the changes in cerebral hemodynamics. Here, S refers to the transmitting probe on the headgear, D refers to the receiving probe on the headgear, and the SD spacing is the distance between the transmitting probe and the receiving probe.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present application, according to the law of the development of children's brain functions with age, the anterior fontanelle of a 1-year-old child closes, and near-infrared data of the frontoparietal and occipitoparietal regions can be collected. For children aged 7 - 12, a standard headgear can be used, and probes are arranged at positions corresponding to the prefrontal lobe and bilateral temporal lobes of the standard headgear for collecting near-infrared data of the forehead and bilateral temporal lobes. This is only an example and does not constitute a specific limitation on the model of the headgear and the detection area.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present application, the preset configuration at least includes the optical power and / or data acquisition magnification factor of the near-infrared brain function imaging device adapted to different preset age groups. In this way, it is beneficial to ensure the best signal quality when collecting near-infrared data. Specifically, for children in the first to third age groups, their skulls are thinner, softer, and have a smaller bone density, and the signal is prone to oversaturation when collecting near-infrared data. Therefore, an optical power and / or data acquisition magnification factor with smaller parameters can be selected. For children in the fourth age group, when collecting near-infrared data, the signal is relatively weak, and an optical power and / or data acquisition magnification factor with larger parameters can be selected, thereby ensuring the intensity and safety of the detection signal and improving the signal quality of the detection data.

[0062] In some embodiments of the present application, the near-infrared brain function imaging device includes a photodetector, which can capture the changes in near-infrared light signals and reflect the activity state of the brain. The optical power refers to the energy magnitude of the near-infrared light irradiating on the brain tissue, and the data acquisition magnification factor can be understood as the magnification multiple of the photodetector for amplifying the received optical signal.

[0063] Among them, the above-mentioned processor may be a processing device including more than one general-purpose processing device, such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), etc. More specifically, the processor may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, a processor running other instruction sets or a combination of instruction sets. The processor may also be more than one dedicated processing device, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), a system on chip (SoC), etc.

[0064] This application describes various operations or functions, which may be implemented as software code or instructions or defined as software code or instructions. Such content may be source code that can be directly executed or differential code (“incremental” or “patch” code) (“object” or “executable” form). The software code or instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, may cause a machine to perform the described functions or operations, and include any mechanism for storing information in a form accessible to a machine (e.g., a computing device, an electronic system, etc.), such as a recordable or non-recordable medium (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk storage medium, an optical storage medium, a flash device, etc.).

[0065] The exemplary methods described in this application may be at least partially implemented by a machine or a computer. In some embodiments, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which computer program instructions are stored, and when the computer program instructions are run by a processor, the steps of the method for longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain functions are executed by the processor.

[0066] The implementation of such a method may include software code, such as microcode, assembly language code, high-level language code, etc. Various software programming techniques can be used to create various programs or program modules. For example, a program portion or program module can be designed in or by means of Java, Python, C, C++, assembly language, or any known programming language. One or more of such software portions or modules can be integrated into a computer system and / or a computer-readable medium. Such software code can include computer-readable instructions for performing various methods. This software code can form part of a computer program product or a computer program module. Additionally, in an example, the software code can be tangibly stored on one or more volatile, non-transitory, or non-volatile tangible computer-readable media, such as during execution or at other times. Examples of such tangible computer-readable media can include, but are not limited to, hard disks, removable disks, removable optical disks (such as optical disks and digital video disks), magnetic cassettes, memory cards or memory sticks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), etc.

[0067] Moreover, although exemplary embodiments have been described herein, the scope includes any and all embodiments based on this application having equivalent elements, modifications, omissions, combinations (e.g., schemes that cross various embodiments), adaptations, or alterations. The elements in the claims will be broadly interpreted based on the language employed in the claims and are not limited to the examples described in this specification or during the implementation of this application, and the examples will be construed as non-exclusive. Thus, this specification and the examples are intended to be considered only as examples, and the true scope and spirit are indicated by the full scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

[0068] The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. For example, the above examples (or one or more of their schemes) can be used in combination with each other. For example, other embodiments can be used by those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the above description. Additionally, in the above detailed description, various features can be grouped together to simplify this application. This should not be construed as an intention that a disclosed feature not claimed is necessary for any claim. On the contrary, the subject matter of this application can be less than all the features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims are incorporated herein as examples or embodiments into the detailed description, where each claim independently serves as a separate embodiment, and considering these embodiments, they can be combined with each other in various combinations or permutations. The scope of this application should be determined with reference to the appended claims and the full scope of the equivalent forms empowered by these claims.

[0069] The above embodiments are only exemplary embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. The protection scope of the present application is defined by the claims. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or equivalent substitutions within the essence and protection scope of the present application, and such modifications or equivalent substitutions should also be regarded as falling within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for longitudinal tracking of children's brain function development based on fNIRS, characterized in that, The method includes: For each child subject, providing a target task group across multiple preset age ranges, where the target task group for each preset age range includes at least a resting-state task, and the target task group is adapted to the representative brain function development status of the child subject corresponding to the preset age range; Using an fNIRS device to collect near-infrared data of the child subject when performing the target task group adapted to the child subject at different preset age ranges, and / or collecting near-infrared data of each child subject at different preset age ranges when performing the target task group adapted to the child subject; Analyzing the brain function development status of the child subject at each of the preset age ranges based on the near-infrared data.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple preset age ranges include a first age range distributed in infancy, a second age range distributed in early childhood and / or early preschool age, a third age range distributed in middle and / or late preschool age, and a fourth age range distributed in school age and / or juvenile age; The target task group across multiple preset age ranges specifically includes: When the child subject is in the first age range, providing a resting-state task to the child subject, and the near-infrared data collected in the first age range is the near-infrared data of the first attention brain region of the child subject when performing the resting-state task; When the child subject is in the second age range, providing a resting-state task to the child subject, and the near-infrared data collected in the second age range is the near-infrared data of the second attention brain region of the child subject when performing the resting-state task; When the child subject is in the third age range, providing a resting-state task and a first brain activation task to the child subject, and the near-infrared data collected in the third age range is the near-infrared data of the third attention brain region of the child subject when performing the resting-state task and the first brain activation task; When the child subject is in the fourth age range, providing a resting-state task, a first brain activation task, and a second brain activation task to the child subject, and the near-infrared data collected in the fourth age range is the near-infrared data of the fourth attention brain region of the child subject when performing the resting-state task, the first brain activation task, and the second brain activation task.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first brain activation task is a Go / No-go task, and an image for the child subject to perform the Go / No-go task is provided; The second brain activation task is a VFT task, and a text prompt and / or a voice prompt for the child subject to perform the VFT task are provided.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein Each of the first attention brain region and the fourth attention brain region includes at least one of the frontal lobe, the left temporal lobe, and the right temporal lobe; the second attention brain region includes at least one of the frontal lobe, the left temporal lobe, the right temporal lobe, and the parietal lobe; the third attention brain region includes at least one of the frontal lobe, the left temporal lobe, the right temporal lobe, the parietal lobe, and the occipital lobe.

5. A device for longitudinally tracking the development status of children's brain function based on fNIRS, characterized in that, The device includes a processor, and the processor is configured to: For each child subject, providing a target task group across multiple preset age ranges, where the target task group for each preset age range includes at least a resting-state task, and the target task group is adapted to the representative brain function development status of the child subject corresponding to the preset age range; Obtain the near-infrared data of the child subject when performing the target task group adapted to him / her at different preset age ranges, and / or obtain the near-infrared data of each child subject at different preset age ranges when performing the target task group adapted to him / her; Analyze the brain function development status of the child subject at each of the preset age ranges based on the near-infrared data.

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that The processor is further configured to: provide an information input box, and the information input box at least includes an age item of the child subject; In response to a confirmation operation on the input content in the information input box, provide a target task group that matches the age of the child subject.

7. The device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The processor is further configured to: Process the obtained near-infrared data corresponding to different preset age ranges, and analyze the changing trend of the brain function development status of the child subject with age growth.

8. A near-infrared brain functional imaging device, characterized in that, Including the device for longitudinally tracking the brain function development status of children based on fNIRS as described in any one of claims 5-7; the near-infrared brain function imaging device is at least equipped with a set of head caps of different models suitable for the head characteristics of child subjects at different preset age ranges, and the head caps are used to be worn on the heads of the child subjects; The processor is further configured to: Present a preset configuration suitable for child subjects to perform the target task group at each preset age range, wherein the preset configuration at least includes the model of the head cap, so that the head cap worn by the child subject when performing the target task matches the head characteristics of the child subject, and the arrangement mode of the probes provided on the head cap is associated with the preset age range where the child subject is located.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The preset configuration at least includes the light power and / or data acquisition magnification factor of the near-infrared brain function imaging device adapted to different preset age ranges.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, the processor is caused to execute the steps of the method for longitudinally tracking the brain function development status of children based on fNIRS as described in any one of claims 1-4.

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