Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40897802›Full record

ArticleNature human behaviour2025

Quantifying the impact of hair and skin characteristics on fNIRS signal quality for enhanced inclusivity.

Meryem A Yücel, Jessica E Anderson, De'Ja Rogers, Parisa Hajirahimi, Parya Farzam, Yuanyuan Gao, Rini I Kaplan, Emily J Braun, Nishaat Mukadam, Sudan Duwadi and 15 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature human behaviour, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

17 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

25 authors.

Meryem A YücelNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. mayucel@bu.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4291-2847
Jessica E AndersonNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4549-8717
De'Ja RogersNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Parisa HajirahimiNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Parya FarzamNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Yuanyuan GaoNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Rini I KaplanNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3760-7335
Emily J BraunNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4687-8516
Nishaat MukadamNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9674-3519
Sudan DuwadiNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Laura CarltonNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
David BeelerNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Lindsay K ButlerDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Erin CarpenterNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Jaimie GirnisNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
John WilsonDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Vaibhav TripathiNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Yiwen ZhangNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-1912-0583
Bettina SorgerDepartment of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1393-3144
Alexander von LühmannNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4995-293X
David C SomersNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4169-5895
Alice Cronin-GolombNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Swathi KiranNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Terry D EllisNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7067-4527
David A BoasNeurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.

Funding

The Neuroscience of Everyday World- A novel wearable system for continuous measurement of brain functionU01EB029856 · NIBIB · BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS) · PI BOAS, DAVID A, KIRAN, SWATHI · 2020 to 2024
$6.5M
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research) NWiOd i-VGrant VI.Vidi.191.210NIBIB NIH HHS U01 EB029856
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a promising neuroimaging method owing to its non-invasive nature and adaptability to real-world settings. However, fNIRS signal quality is sensitive to individual differences in biophysical factors such as hair and skin characteristics, which can considerably impact the absorption and scattering of near-infrared light. If not properly addressed, these factors risk biasing fNIRS research by disproportionately affecting signal quality across diverse populations. Here we quantify the impact of hair properties and skin pigmentation, as well as head size, sex and age, on signal quality in n = 115 individuals. We provide recommendations for fNIRS researchers, including a suggested metadata table and guidance for cap and optode configurations, hair management techniques and strategies to optimize data collection across varied participants. This research will help to guide future hardware advances and methodological standards to overcome barriers to inclusivity in fNIRS studies.

Indexed as

Functional NeuroimagingHairSkinSkin PigmentationAdolescentAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSpectroscopy, Near-InfraredYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID40897802
PMCPMC13264803

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.