Evaluating feasibility of functional near-infrared spectroscopy in dolphins.

Brain measurements in juvenile or subadult dolphins, or smaller dolphin species, may be possible using specialized fNIRS devices that support optode separations of . We speculate that many measurement repetitions will be required to overcome hemodynamic signals originating predominantly from the muscle layer above the skull. NIRS measurements of muscle tissue are feasible today with source-detector separations of 50 mm, or even less.