Effects of Fatigue on Cognitive Performance in Long-Duration Simulated Flight Missions

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-93
Author(s):  
Eduardo Rosa ◽  
Ola Eiken ◽  
Mikael Grönkvist ◽  
Roger Kölegård ◽  
Nicklas Dahlström ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Fatigue Index ◽  
Fighter Aircraft ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Metacognitive Accuracy

Abstract. Fighter pilots may be exposed to extended flight missions. Consequently, there is increasing concern about fatigue. We investigated the effects of fatigue and cognitive performance in a simulated 11-hr mission in the 39 Gripen fighter aircraft. Five cognitive tasks were used to assess cognitive performance. Fatigue was measured with the Samn–Perelli Fatigue Index. Results showed that performance in the non-executive task degraded after approximately 7 hr. Fatigue ratings showed a matching trend to the performance in this task. Performance in tasks taxing executive functions did not decline. We interpreted that fatigue can be overridden by increased attentional effort for executive tasks but not for non-executive components of cognition. Participants underestimated their performance and metacognitive accuracy was not influenced by fatigue.

scholarly journals Fatigue, Emotion, and Cognitive Performance in Simulated Long-Duration, Single-Piloted Flight Missions

2021 ◽  
Vol 92 (9) ◽  
pp. 710-719
Author(s):  
Eduardo Rosa ◽  
Mikael Gronkvist ◽  
Roger Kolegard ◽  
Nicklas Dahlstrom ◽  
Igor Knez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Air Force ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Fatigue Index ◽  
Fighter Aircraft ◽  
Mission Duration ◽  
Fatigue Development ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Negative Emotional State

BACKGROUND: Fatigue of air force pilots has become an increasing concern due to changes in mission characteristics. In the current study we investigated fatigue, emotions, and cognitive performance in a simulated 11-h mission in the 39 Gripen fighter aircraft. METHODS: A total of 12 subjects were evaluated in a high-fidelity dynamic flight simulator for 12 consecutive hours. Perceived fatigue was measured by the Samn-Perelli Fatigue Index (SPFI). Emotions were assessed with the Circumplex Affect Space. Cognitive performance was assessed by five cognitive tasks. RESULTS: Significant increase in self-reported fatigue, general decrease in two positive emotional states, as well increase of one negative emotional state occurred after approximately 7 h into the mission. Self-reported fatigue negatively correlated with enthusiasm and cheerfulness (r 0.75; 0.49, respectively) and positively correlated with boredom and gloominess (r 0.61; r 0.30, respectively). Response time in the low-order task negatively correlated with enthusiasm, cheerfulness and calmness (r 0.44; r 0.41; r 0.37, respectively) and positively correlated with boredom and anxiousness (r 0.37; r 0.28, respectively). Mission duration had an adverse impact on emotions in these environmental conditions, particularly after 7 h. DISCUSSION: These results contribute to the understanding of fatigue development in general and of emotion-cognition relationships. These findings emphasize that both emotional states and the type of cognitive tasks to be performed should be considered for planning long-duration missions in single-piloted fighter aircrafts as to increase the probability of missions success. Rosa E, Gronkvist M, Kolegard R, Dahlstrom N, Knez I, Ljung R, Willander J. Fatigue, emotion, and cognitive performance in simulated long-duration, single-piloted flight missions. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021; 92(9):710719.

Passive heat acclimation does not modulate processing speed and executive functions during cognitive tasks performed at fixed levels of thermal strain

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadiatou Barry ◽  
Philippe Gendron ◽  
Christine Gagnon ◽  
Louis Bherer ◽  
Daniel Gagnon
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Core Temperature ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Thermal Strain ◽  
Heat Acclimation ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Time Control

Purpose: This study evaluated if passive controlled hyperthermia heat acclimation (HA) modulates cognitive performance during passive heat stress. Methods: Eight healthy adults (25 ± 4 years) underwent 7 consecutive days of hot water immersion (core temperature ≥38.6°C) and a 7-day time-control period. On days 1 and 7 of HA, participants performed a digital Stroop test at baseline, when core temperature reached 38.6°C, and after 60 minutes at a core temperature ≥38.6°C to evaluate reaction time during tasks targeting processing speed (reading and counting) and executive functions (inhibition and switching). On days 1 and 7 of the time-control intervention, participants performed the Stroop test with equivalent amounts of time separating each task as for HA. Results: During day 1 of HA, reaction time was quicker during the reading (-44 ms [-71, -17], P<0.01) and counting (-39 ms [-76, -2], P=0.04) tasks when rectal temperature reached 38.6°C, but after a further 60 minutes of heat exposure, reaction time only remained quicker during the reading task (-56 ms [-83, -29], P<0.01). Changes in reaction time during heat exposure were unaffected by subsequent HA (interaction, all P≥0.09). Conclusion: Seven days of HA does not modulate processing speed and executive functions during passive heat exposure. Novelty: - Whether heat acclimation (HA) to improve cognitive performance during heat exposure remains understudied. - We tested the hypothesis that HA modulates reaction time during cognitive tasks performed at matched levels of thermal strain. - Despite classical signs of HA, reaction time during heat exposure was unaffected by HA.

Self-Ratings of Past, Present, and Future Cognitive Performance across Adulthood

1994 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L. Fingerman ◽  
Marion Perlmutter
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Implicit Theories ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Future Performance ◽  
Over Time

Age differences in self-ratings of present and projected past and future cognitive performance were examined across a variety of cognitive domains. Participants ( N = 151) in their twenties, forties, sixties, and eighties completed a battery of cognitive tasks and rated their present performance, likely performance five years ago (past), and projected performance five years hence (future) for each task. Performance on fluid/speeded intelligence, memory, and reasoning tasks followed a progression of poorer performance with age. Age differences in self-assessment of projected past and future performance were found, as were age by time interactions. Self-ratings of participants in their twenties tended to reflect projections of continuing improvement from past to present to future, but self-ratings of participants in older age groups tended to reflect perceptions of increasing decline over time. These findings suggest that age differences in self-ratings of cognitive performance may be related to age specific implicit theories of cognitive development.

scholarly journals Reward-associated distractors can harm cognitive performance

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorottya Rusz ◽  
Erik Bijleveld
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Impaired Performance ◽  
Monetary Rewards ◽  
Math Task ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Task Irrelevant

When people carry out cognitive tasks, they sometimes suffer from distractions, that is, drops in performance that occur close in time to task-irrelevant stimuli. In this research, we examine how the pursuit of rewards contributes to distractions. In two experiments, participants performed a math task (in which they could earn monetary rewards vs. not) while they were exposed to task-irrelevant stimuli (that were previously associated with monetary rewards vs. not). In Experiment 1, irrelevant cues that were previously associated with rewards (vs. not) impaired performance. In Experiment 2, this effect was only replicated when these reward-associated distractors appeared relatively early during task performance. While the results were thus somewhat mixed, they generally support the idea that reward associations can augment the negative effect of distractors on performance.

123 Detrimental effects of acute sleep deprivation on perceptual metacognition

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A50-A50
Author(s):  
Marco Bigica ◽  
Chunxiang Jiang ◽  
Ilenia D’Onofrio ◽  
Zhishan Liu ◽  
Chen Song
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Deprivation ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Orientation Discrimination ◽  
Perceptual Decision ◽  
Recovery Sleep ◽  
Acute Sleep Deprivation ◽  
Flicker Fusion ◽  
Perceptual Threshold ◽  
Metacognitive Accuracy

Abstract Introduction Sleep deprivation (SD) impairs cognitive performance but its impact on metacognition – i.e. the ability to introspect about cognitive performance – is less clear. A few studies have assessed metacognitive accuracy after acute sleep deprivation in tasks of executive functions and found no impairments. However, whether SD has no influence on metacognition of other cognitive domains such as perception has not been investigated. In this study, we examined how metacognitive accuracy in perceptual decision tasks is affected by 32 hours of sustained wakefulness. Methods 14 participants (3 males, aged 20-32) repeated four visual psychophysical tasks (orientation discrimination, two-flicker fusion, vernier acuity and a novel face/house discrimination in noise) at regular intervals during 32 hours of sustained wakefulness and once after 8 hours recovery sleep. In each task, we concurrently measured quantitative indices of perceptual threshold, confidence rating and metacognitive accuracy (i.e. how well confidence ratings discriminate correct vs incorrect perceptual judgements). Results We observed a gradual increase of perceptual threshold in all tasks with increased time awake. Furthermore, metacognitive accuracy gradually decreased during sustained wakefulness in all tasks. Specifically, the decrease in metacognitive accuracy was driven by over-estimated confidence in trials when participants made incorrect perceptual judgements. After recovery sleep, perceptual thresholds were reset to baseline for all tasks, while metacognitive accuracy was reset to baseline for the orientation discrimination and two-flicker fusion tasks only. Conclusion We showed that sustained wakefulness up to 32 hours increasingly impairs metacognitive accuracy in perceptual decision tasks. These results are consistent across different perceptual tasks, but are in contrast to previous studies showing preserved metacognition of executive functions after SD. Overall, this suggests that the fundamental mechanisms of perceptual metacognition may be similarly affected by sleep deprivation, but that SD selectively impacts different domains of metacognition, such as perceptual metacognition and metacognition of executive functions. Support (if any) MB - Cardiff University PhD Funding CS - Wellcome Trust 209192/Z/17/Z

Cognitive Function During Low-Intensity Walking: A Test of the Treadmill Workstation

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 752-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon L. Alderman ◽  
Ryan L. Olson ◽  
Diana M. Mattina
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Flanker Task ◽  
Response Speed ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Cognitive Tests ◽  
Low Intensity

Background:The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of walking at self-selected speed on an active workstation on cognitive performance.Methods:Sixty-six participants (n = 27 males, 39 females; mean age = 21.06 ± 1.6 years) completed a treadmill-desk walking and a seated control condition, separated by 48 hours. During each condition, participants completed computerized versions of the Stroop test, a modified flanker task, and a test of reading comprehension.Results:No significant differences in response speed or accuracy were found between walking and sitting conditions for any the cognitive tests.Conclusions:These findings reveal that performance on cognitive tasks, including executive control processes, are not impaired by walking on an active workstation. Implementing active workstations into offices and classrooms may help to decrease sedentariness without impairing task performance.

The Impact of Environmental Stress on Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
pp. 1205-1246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristy Martin ◽  
Emily McLeod ◽  
Julien Périard ◽  
Ben Rattray ◽  
Richard Keegan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Environmental Stress ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Healthy Human ◽  
The Impact

Objective: In this review, we detail the impact of environmental stress on cognitive and military task performance and highlight any individual characteristics or interventions which may mitigate any negative effect. Background: Military personnel are often deployed in regions markedly different from their own, experiencing hot days, cold nights, and trips both above and below sea level. In spite of these stressors, high-level cognitive and operational performance must be maintained. Method: A systematic review of the electronic databases Medline (PubMed), EMBASE (Scopus), PsycINFO, and Web of Science was conducted from inception up to September 2018. Eligibility criteria included a healthy human cohort, an outcome of cognition or military task performance and assessment of an environmental condition. Results: The search returned 113,850 records, of which 124 were included in the systematic review. Thirty-one studies examined the impact of heat stress on cognition; 20 of cold stress; 59 of altitude exposure; and 18 of being below sea level. Conclusion: The severity and duration of exposure to the environmental stressor affects the degree to which cognitive performance can be impaired, as does the complexity of the cognitive task and the skill or familiarity of the individual performing the task. Application: Strategies to improve cognitive performance in extreme environmental conditions should focus on reducing the magnitude of the physiological and perceptual disturbance caused by the stressor. Strategies may include acclimatization and habituation, being well skilled on the task, and reducing sensations of thermal stress with approaches such as head and neck cooling.

scholarly journals Eye contact effect: The role of vagal regulation and reactivity, and self-regulation of attention

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicja Niedźwiecka
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Eye Contact ◽  
Autonomic Regulation ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Contact Effect ◽  
The Individual

AbstractEye contact is a crucial aspect of social interactions that may enhance an individual’s cognitive performance (i.e. the eye contact effect) or hinder it (i.e. face-to-face interference effect). In this paper, I focus on the influence of eye contact on cognitive performance in tasks engaging executive functions. I present a hypothesis as to why some individuals benefit from eye contact while others do not. I propose that the relations between eye contact and executive functioning are modulated by an individual’s autonomic regulation and reactivity and self-regulation of attention. In particular, I propose that individuals with more optimal autonomic regulation and reactivity, and more effective self-regulation of attention benefit from eye contact. Individuals who are less well regulated and over- or under-reactive and who do not employ effective strategies of self-regulation of attention may not benefit from eye contact and may perform better when eye contact is absent. I present some studies that justify the proposed hypothesis and point to a method that could be employed to test them. This approach could help to better understand the complex mechanisms underlying the individual differences in participant’s cognitive performance during tasks engaging executive functions.

scholarly journals How Does Physical Demand Affect Cognitive Performance? Interference Between Outdoor Running And Narrative Memory

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 237-241
Author(s):  
Samantha L. Epling ◽  
Graham K. Edgar ◽  
Paul N. Russell ◽  
William S. Helton
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Real World ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Dual Tasking ◽  
Physical Demand ◽  
Dual Task Paradigm

Dual-tasking situations are common in military, firefighting, search and rescue, and other high risk operations. Cognitive and physical demands can occur at the same time, but little is known about the specific demands of real world tasks or how they might interfere with one another. It is well known that attempting simultaneous tasks will divide and divert attention, but to what extent? In this experiment, a narrative memory task was paired with an outdoor running task, and as expected, memory task performance declined when participants were asked to run at the same time. It is suggested that more cognitively demanding physical tasks be used within this dual-task paradigm for a better understanding of the human cognitive resource structure, i.e., how and why certain tasks interfere.

scholarly journals The Association between High Neuroticism-Low Extraversion and Dual-Task Performance during Walking While Talking in Non-demented Older Adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 519-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittany C. LeMonda ◽  
Jeannette R. Mahoney ◽  
Joe Verghese ◽  
Roee Holtzer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Task Demands ◽  
Gait Velocity ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Dual Task Performance

AbstractThe Walking While Talking (WWT) dual-task paradigm is a mobility stress test that predicts major outcomes, including falls, frailty, disability, and mortality in aging. Certain personality traits, such as neuroticism, extraversion, and their combination, have been linked to both cognitive and motor outcomes. We examined whether individual differences in personality dimensions of neuroticism and extraversion predicted dual-task performance decrements (both motor and cognitive) on a WWT task in non-demented older adults. We hypothesized that the combined effect of high neuroticism-low extraversion would be related to greater dual-task costs in gait velocity and cognitive performance in non-demented older adults. Participants (N=295; age range,=65–95 years; female=164) completed the Big Five Inventory and WWT task involving concurrent gait and a serial 7’s subtraction task. Gait velocity was obtained using an instrumented walkway. The high neuroticism-low extraversion group incurred greater dual-task costs (i.e., worse performance) in both gait velocity {95% confidence interval (CI) [−17.68 to −3.07]} and cognitive performance (95% CI [−19.34 to −2.44]) compared to the low neuroticism-high extraversion group, suggesting that high neuroticism-low extraversion interferes with the allocation of attentional resources to competing task demands during the WWT task. Older individuals with high neuroticism-low extraversion may be at higher risk for falls, mobility decline and other adverse outcomes in aging. (JINS, 2015, 21, 519–530)

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