Time-frequency characterization of cerebral hemodynamics of migraine sufferers as assessed by NIRS signals

  • Authors:

  • Filippo Molinari;Samanta Rosati;William Liboni;Emanuela Negri;Ornella Mana;Gianni Allais;Chiara Benedetto

  • Affiliations:

  • Biolab, Department of Electronics, Polytechnic of Turin, Torino, Italy;Biolab, Department of Electronics, Polytechnic of Turin, Torino, Italy;Department of Neuroscience, Gradenigo Hospital, Turin, Italy;Department of Neuroscience, Gradenigo Hospital, Turin, Italy;Department of Neuroscience, Gradenigo Hospital, Turin, Italy;Women's Headache Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Torino, Torino, Italy;Women's Headache Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Torino, Torino, Italy

  • Venue:
  • EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing - Special issue on applications of time-frequency signal processing in wireless communications and bioengineering
  • Year:
  • 2010

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Abstract

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a noninvasive system for the real-time monitoring of the concentration of oxygenated (O2Hb) and reduced (HHb) hemoglobin in the brain cortex. O2Hb and HHb concentrations vary in response to cerebral autoregulation. Sixty-eight women (14 migraineurs without aura, 49 migraineurs with aura, and 5 controls) performed breath-holding and hyperventilation during NIRS recordings. Signals were processed using the Choi-Williams time-frequency transform in order to measure the power variation of the very-low frequencies (VLF: 20-40 mHz) and of the low frequencies (LF: 40-140 mHz). Results showed that migraineurs without aura present different LF and VLF power levels than controls and migraineurs with aura. The accurate power measurement of the time-frequency analysis allowed for the discrimination of the subjects' hemodynamic patterns. The time-frequency analysis of NIRS signals can be used in clinical practice to assess cerebral hemodynamics.