Baby brain activity mapped with non-invasive cap
UCL-led researchers have demonstrated a wearable, baby-friendly brain mapping technology likely to lead to a better understanding of developmental conditions including autism spectrum disorder and cerebral palsy.
The technology, developed by UCL spinout company Gowerlabs Ltd, is said to use harmless levels of red and near-infrared light delivered via a wearable cap to generate detailed 3D images of babies’ brain activity. It means doctors and neuroscientists can image a baby’s brain without needing MRI, which is expensive and difficult to apply while babies are awake.
It also means researchers can study the infant brain in almost any environment, including in the home.
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In a paper published in NeuroImage, academics and engineers from UCL, Cambridge University, the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge and Gowerlabs Ltd demonstrate the technique - high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT) - in six-month old infants. The wearable cap employs hundreds of LEDs and optical detectors arranged in a dense network over the scalp to map changes in oxygenation in the brain.
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