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Near-infrared spectroscopic study of blood flow changes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during pain relief by odor stimulation
(Yuki Okamura, Shogo Takayama, Kengo Namiki, Fusako Koshikawa, Etsuro Ito, Biophysics and Physicobiology 22, e220001 (2025), DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.bppb-v22.0001))
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measures tissue absorbance at multiple wavelengths in the 700–1000 nm spectral range, allowing determination of changes in the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin, etc. Because NIR light can penetrate biological tissues and even bone, such measurements can be made through the intact skull. NIRS has been used to study the areas of the brain that change when pain is relieved. Pain relief was observed when a peppermint or lavender scent was presented, and changes in cerebral blood flow were observed in areas of the prefrontal cortex during pain relief.