Functional near-infrared spectroscopy for human brain age group
classification by machine learning
Abstract
Aging brain undergoes multiple structural and functional changes. These
may contribute to an increased risk of neurodegenerative disease (NDD)
and other age-related diseases, highlighting the importance of assessing
deviations from healthy brain aging trajectory. In this human brain
study, 50 healthy adults were investigated by functional near-infrared
spectroscopy (fNIRS). A resting state single channel multiwavelength
fNIRS was measured from the forehead in a supine position. The subjects
were divided into four age groups. A machine learning approach was
utilized for age group classification by using support vector machine
and random forest learners with nested cross-validation. The results
suggest brain aging effects being more distinct in the oldest age group
and a difference in the brain aging for the subjects of the in-between
groups. Our study shows high potential for the use of fNIRS in the
analysis of brain aging.