Investigating mental workload-induced changes in cortical oxygenation and frontal theta activity during simulated flights.

ABSTRACT: Monitoring pilots' cognitive states becomes increasingly important in aviation. Physiological measurement can detect increased mental workload (MWL) even before performance declines. Yet, changes in MWL are rarely varied systematically and few studies control for confounding effects of other cognitive states. The present study targets these shortcomings by analysing the effects of stepwise increased MWL on cortical activation, while controlling for mental fatigue (MF). 35 participants conducted a simulated flight with an incorporated adapted n-back and monitoring task. We recorded cortical activation with concurrent EEG and fNIRS measurement, performance, self-reported MWL and MF. Our results show the successful manipulation of MWL without confounding effects of MF. Higher task difficulty

SUBMITTER: Hamann A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9018717 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature