Non-invasive optical measurement system and method for neural decoding

A non-invasive optical measurement system, comprising:

• an optical source configured for generating a source light during a measurement period;
• an interferometer configured for splitting the source light into sample light and reference light, delivering the sample light into an anatomical structure, such that the sample light is scattered by the anatomical structure, resulting in physiological-encoded signal light that exits the anatomical structure, and combining the physiological-encoded signal light and the reference light into at least three phase-modulated interference light patterns, an optical path length of the respective source light and an optical path length of the sample light matching within a coherence length of the source light;
• at least three optical detectors configured for respectively detecting the at least three phase-modulated interference light patterns over the measurement period;
• and
• a processor configured for determining a time-lapsed complex field of the physiological-encoded signal light over the measurement period based on a combination of the at least three detected phase-modulated interference light patterns, determining a decorrelation speed of the time-lapsed complex field of the physiological-encoded signal light, and identifying a physiological event in the anatomical structure based on the determined decorrelation speed of the physiological-encoded signal light.