A systematic review of functional near-infrared spectroscopy-based task paradigms in stroke rehabilitation

TL;DR

This paper reviews how fNIRS task paradigms can be used to assess and guide stroke rehabilitation, focusing on improving clinical application and standardization.

Contribution

The study systematically reviews fNIRS task paradigms in stroke rehabilitation and proposes adaptive designs for personalized assessment.

Findings

fNIRS task paradigms are valuable for assessing neurological function after stroke.

Personalized and ecologically valid paradigms are emphasized for better clinical translation.

Standardized designs are needed to guide future stroke rehabilitation research.

Abstract

Precision in assessing neurological function after stroke is key to optimizing the efficacy of rehabilitation. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) provides a highly ecologically valid assessment of cortical activation and functional reorganization after stroke by monitoring cortical hemodynamic changes during different tasks. However, the current fNIRS task paradigm lacks systematic integration for standardized design and clinical translation strategies, and fragmented evidence is difficult to converge into actionable practice guidelines. To fill this gap, this paper systematically reviews the application of fNIRS in motor, cognitive, language, and dual-task paradigms in stroke rehabilitation research. It reveals the clinical value of different paradigms for neurological function assessment and proposes adaptive task designs that fit the functional characteristics of patients with stroke. This study emphasizes the importance of personalized and ecological paradigms, providing a theoretical basis and practical reference for subsequent standardized research on fNIRS task paradigms and developing clinical application standards.

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