Abstract:

Objective To explore the current status and frontier hotspots of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in the field of stroke.

Methods Relevant literature on stroke and fNIRS from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database was searched from its inception to July, 2023. VOSviewer, CiteSpace and Scimago were utilized for analysis of publication output, countries (regions) and institutions, international collaboration, co-cited references, co-occurring keywords and burst keywords.

Results A total of 379 articles were included. The research activity in this field showed an overall upward trend with slight fluctuations in the early stage. Among the top five institutions by publication output, four were from China. Co-occurrence analysis revealed that Beihang University and Boston Children's Hospital were central in collaboration networks. This study involved 1 787 authors, with 120 core authors, in which the top five most cited authors were Li Zengyong, Li Wenhao, Huo Congcong, Dou Zulin and Song Ying. The publications in this field were primarily concentrated in disciplines such as neurology, psychiatry, ophthalmology and clinical medicine. Overlay visualization of journal co-citation networks demonstrated associations between medical, clinical, and neurology disciplines with psychology, education, and sociology. Co-occurrence and clustering analysis of keywords indicated research emphasis on stroke rehabilitation, integration of multiple technical modalities, and exploration of innovative training strategies and brain activation connectivity. The research evolution of fNIRS in the stroke domain revealed initial use of photodiode devices for cerebral ischemia reperfusion monitoring. Subsequent studies refined cortical activation through improved laser sources, avalanche photodiodes, single-task experimental designs and transcranial direct current stimulation. Later, research extended to whole-brain detection, multimodal stimulation and the combination of virtual reality technology with audiovisual stimulation, resulting in significantly enhanced brain activation. The application of brain-computer interface technology further facilitated direct restoration of motor function.

Conclusion Researches in the field of stroke using fNIRS technology overall demonstrat a continuous upward trend. The researches focuse on post-stroke rehabilitation, integrating multimodal fusion, brain-computer interfaces, virtual reality, and sensory stimulation for real-time monitoring and personalized neurorehabilitation training strategies. It emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, expanding innovative research and the application of new technologies.

Key words: stroke, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, knowledge map, bibliometrics