Simultaneous DC-magnetoencephalography and near-infrared spectroscopy: can we detect pathophysiologically relevant parameters non-invasively in patients with stroke?

Introduction: Important pathophysiological stroke concepts include anoxic depolarization, periinfarct depolarization and spreading depression. These pathophysiological processes are accompanied by DC-currents as well as oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentration changes, as shown in invasive animal studies. For the non-invasive recording of these phenomena in humans and the analysis of the interaction between cortical neuronal activity and vascular/metabolic supply during these pathophysiological cascades the combination of DC-magnetoencephalography (DC-MEG) and time resolved near-infrared spectroscopy (tr-NIRS) is…