ReviewIndian journal of psychological medicine2026
Utility of Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) in Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review.
Review in Indian journal of psychological medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy in evaluating antidepressant treatment efficacy: a review of recent evidence (2021-2026).Frontiers in psychology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
Purpose of the Review: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive, portable, and cost-effective neuroimaging tool for monitoring brain activity in real-world settings. Its advantages make it promising for clinical use in assessing major depressive disorder (MDD). This review evaluates current literature on the utility of fNIRS in MDD. Collection and Analysis of Data: Following PRISMA guidelines, English-language studies (2011-2025) from MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, and EMBASE were reviewed. Inclusion criteria: Studies using fNIRS to (a) differentiate MDD from controls, (b) correlate cerebral activity with symptoms, (c) monitor treatment response, or (d) distinguish MDD from other psychiatric disorders. Results: Of 6,312 records, 166 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most found reduced oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) responses in prefrontal regions during cognitive and emotional tasks in MDD, especially on verbal fluency. Greater depression severity correlated with lower oxy-Hb, which increased as symptoms improved. fNIRS may also help distinguish MDD from other psychiatric disorders. Conclusions: fNIRS reliably detects reduced prefrontal activation in MDD, reflecting illness severity and treatment response. However, methodological differences limit broader clinical use. Standardized protocols and larger studies are needed for routine clinical adoption.
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