Racial Inclusivity in Brain Imaging Techniques

Racial discrimination has been a serious problem in neuroscience research. Over 80% of participants are white in studies regarding the brain, essentially limiting generalizability and potentially yielding inaccurate conclusions. Underrepresentation is most commonly seen in neuroimaging studies due to the difficulty for researchers to get accurate data. Recent studies on racial inclusivity and brain imaging techniques have been working to develop different methods and equipment that are safe to use with individuals of different hair and skin textures. 

In class, Dr. Caitlin Hudac discussed her research on the relationship between frustration and cognitive inhibition in the athletic youth population. To complete this study, Dr. Hudac and her colleagues had participants wear an EEG cap to record brain activity during baseline and frustration-induced activities. More specifically, a mobile EEG approach and a “wet” net system were used to accommodate different hair textures and styles, ultimately encouraging diversity of participants. Following the study, Dr. Hudac et al. discovered that frustration induction was less effective in athletes with a previous history of head injuries, such as concussions, and more effective in those with a history of mental health disorders. 

In addition to this particular study, Dr. Hudac et al. discuss the overall need to improve racial representation in neuroscience research. The main problem in research that hinders the engagement of different racial groups is the lack of effective equipment that is unfit for black participants, in particular. As briefly mentioned above, the use of “wet” EEG systems allowed Dr. Hudac and her colleagues to obtain accurate results in all athletic participants involved. This was made possible by the incorporation of an electrotype solution which increased the connectivity between the skin and electrodes. This led me to wonder whether there were any other neuroimaging techniques that increase racial inclusivity. While researching this question, I came across an article titled Hair, Hair for Equity in Neuroscience Research (Shih, 2023), that discussed a different method called Function Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS). This technique allows researchers to shine a light into the brain from sensors on a stretchy cap, which will identify blood flow to measure brain activity. The researchers in this article mentioned similar limitations, such as the inability to obtain ample diverse results due to connectivity issues. To try and combat this, the researcher worked with barbers and hair stylists who specialized in Afro-textured hair to develop different hairstyles that increased the connectivity between the fNIRS cap and scalp of the participants. 

Overall, both articles discussed different neuroimaging techniques to measure brain activity and increase inclusivity. Although these methods increased racially diverse participation and results, it’s important to note that these are not one-size-fits-all solutions. The need for participants to change their hair can be time-consuming and potentially unfeasible due to many different factors, such as cost and location. Ultimately, new brain imaging methods need to be developed that incorporate racial participants in a reasonable supportive way. 

References

Hudac, C. M., Wallace, J. S., Ward, V. R., Friedman, N. R., Delfin, D., & Newman S. D. (2022). Dynamic cognitive inhibition in the context of frustration: Increasing racial representation of adolescent athletes using mobile community-engaged EEG methods. Frontiers in Neurology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.918075

Hair, Hair for Equity in Neuroscience Research. (2023, November 6). Maryland Today. https://today.umd.edu/hair-hair-for-equity-in-neuroscience-research