Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
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Neurosci Biobehav Rev · Jan 2021
ReviewNIRS measures in pain and analgesia: Fundamentals, features, and function.
Current pain assessment techniques based only on clinical evaluation and self-reports are not objective and may lead to inadequate treatment. Having a functional biomarker will add to the clinical fidelity, diagnosis, and perhaps improve treatment efficacy in patients. ⋯ In this review, we evaluate the utility of fNIRS in nociception/pain with particular focus on its sensitivity and specificity, methodological advantages and limitations, and the current and potential applications in various pain conditions. Everything considered, fNIRS technology could enhance our ability to evaluate evoked and persistent pain across different age groups and clinical populations.