DBIfNIRS: An online database of infant functional Near InfraRed Spectroscopy studies

Cristia, A. 1, 2 , Dupoux, E. 1 , Hakuno, Y. 3 , Lloyd-Fox, S. 4 & Minagawa-Kawai, Y. 3, 5

1 Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique, CNRS, IEC-ENS, EHESS
2 Neurobiology of Language, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
3 Graduate School of Human Relations, Keio University
4 Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck
5 Institut d'Etude de la Cognition, ENS

Until recently, imaging the infant brain was very challenging. Functional Near InfraRed Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a promising, relatively novel technique, whose use is rapidly expanding. As an emergent field, it is particularly important to share methodological knowledge to ensure replicable and robust results. We present DBIfNIRS (sites.google.com/site/dbifnirs), a community-augmented database which will facilitate precisely this exchange. We tabulated articles and theses reporting empirical fNIRS research carried out on infants below three years of age along several methodological variables. The resulting spreadsheet has been uploaded in a format allowing individuals to continue adding new results, and download the most recent version of the table. Thus, this database is ideal to carry out systematic reviews. We illustrate its academic utility by focusing on the factors affecting three key variables: infant attrition, the reliability of oxygenated and deoxygenated responses, and signal-to-noise ratios. We then discuss strengths and weaknesses of the DBIfNIRS, and conclude by suggesting a set of simple guidelines aimed to facilitate methodological convergence through the standardization of reports.