Wavelet coherence analysis of spontaneous oscillations in cerebral tissue oxyhemoglobin concentrations and arterial blood pressure in elderly subjects

Abstract This study aims to assess the relationship between spontaneous oscillations in changes in cerebral tissue oxyhemoglobin concentrations (Delta [HbO 2 ]) and arterial blood pressure (ABP) signals in healthy elderly subjects during the resting state using wavelet coherence analysis. Continuous recordings of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and ABP signals were obtained from simultaneous measurements in 33 healthy elderly subjects (age: 70.7 ± 7.9 years) and 27 young subjects (age: 25.2 ± 3.7 years) during the resting state. The coherence between Delta [HbO 2 ] and ABP oscillations in six frequency intervals (I, 0.4–2 Hz; II, 0.15–0.4 Hz; III, 0.05–0.15 Hz; IV, 0.02–0.05 Hz, V, 0.005–0.0095 Hz and VI, 0.005–0.0095 Hz) was analyzed using wavelet coherence analysis. In elderly subjects, the Delta [HbO 2 ] and ABP oscillations were significantly wavelet coherent in interval I, and wavelet phase coherent in intervals I, II and IV. The wavelet coherence in interval I was significantly higher (p = 0.040), in elderly subjects than in young subjects whereas that in interval V significantly lower (p = 0.015). In addition, the wavelet phase coherence in interval IV was significantly higher in elderly subjects than in young subjects (p = 0.028). The difference in the wavelet coherence of the elderly subjects and the young subjects indicates an altered cerebral autoregulation caused by aging. This study provides new insight into the dynamics of Delta [HbO2] and ABP oscillations and may be useful in identifying the risk for dynamic cerebral autoregulation processes.