@ARTICLE{10.3389/fphys.2015.00416, AUTHOR={Iso, Naoki and Moriuchi, Takefumi and Sagari, Akira and Kitajima, Eiji and Iso, Fumiko and Tanaka, Koji and Kikuchi, Yasuki and Tabira, Takayuki and Higashi, Toshio}, TITLE={Monitoring Local Regional Hemodynamic Signal Changes during Motor Execution and Motor Imagery Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy}, JOURNAL={Frontiers in Physiology}, VOLUME={6}, YEAR={2016}, URL={https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2015.00416}, DOI={10.3389/fphys.2015.00416}, ISSN={1664-042X}, ABSTRACT={The aim of this study was to clarify the topographical localization of motor-related regional hemodynamic signal changes during motor execution (ME) and motor imagery (MI) by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), as this technique is more clinically expedient than established methods (e.g., fMRI). Twenty right-handed healthy subjects participated in this study. The experimental protocol was a blocked design consisting of 3 cycles of 20 s of task performance and 30 s of rest. The tapping sequence task was performed with their fingers under 4 conditions: ME and MI with the right or left hand. Hemodynamic brain activity was measured with NIRS to monitor changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentration. Oxy-Hb in the somatosensory motor cortex (SMC) increased significantly only during contralateral ME and showed a significant interaction between task and hand. There was a main effect of hand in the left SMC. Although there were no significant main effects or interactions in the supplemental motor area (SMA) and premotor area (PMA), oxy-Hb increased substantially under all conditions. These results clarified the topographical localization by motor-related regional hemodynamic signal changes during ME and MI by using NIRS.} }