A neuroscience approach to optimizing brain resources for human performance in extreme environments☆

Abstract

Extreme environments requiring optimal cognitive and behavioral performance occur in a wide variety of situations ranging from complex combat operations to elite athletic competitions. Although a large literature characterizes psychological and other aspects of individual differences in performances in extreme environments, virtually nothing is known about the underlying neural basis for these differences. This review summarizes the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral consequences of exposure to extreme environments, discusses predictors of performance, and builds a case for the use of neuroscience approaches to quantify and understand optimal cognitive and behavioral performance. Extreme environments are defined as an external context that exposes individuals to demanding psychological and/or physical conditions, and which may have profound effects on cognitive and behavioral performance. Examples of these types of environments include combat situations, Olympic-level competition, and expeditions in extreme cold, at high altitudes, or in space. Optimal performance is defined as the degree to which individuals achieve a desired outcome when completing goal-oriented tasks. It is hypothesized that individual variability with respect to optimal performance in extreme environments depends on a well “contextualized” internal body state that is associated with an appropriate potential to act. This hypothesis can be translated into an experimental approach that may be useful for quantifying the degree to which individuals are particularly suited to performing optimally in demanding environments.

Cortical Thickness of Native Tibetans in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

“…73 The decreased depth of the anterior insular sulcus and damage to the ventral medial prefrontal cortex in the present study support the hypothesis that these 2 regions are needed to process the perturbation of the homeostatic balance in extreme environments. 48,74 Because the lesions in the insular cortex have been proved to disrupt representation of internal states that underpin motivation, 75 the changes of the anterior insular cortex may also be related to the blunted hypoxic ventilatory response in HA residents.…”

Hot under the collar: The impact of heat on game play

“…To truly understand the mechanics behind the observed effects, a richer assessment of the physiological impacts of heat on brain activity must be pursued to examine the specific relationships between brain activity and task performance under extreme heat conditions (Dalsgaard et al, 2003;Helton, 2010;Liu et al, 2013;Nielsen et al, 2001;Nielsen and Nybo, 2003;Paulus et al, 2009;Rasmussen et al, 2004). However, a significant challenge arises in the pursuit of this goal e the problem with performing neural assessments in extreme temperature environments.…”

“…The extent of this research is in part due to the number of disciplines that have examined the effects of extreme environments on humans that include, but are not limited to, psychology (Helton, 2010;Wearden and Penton-Voak, 1995), physiology (Wright et al, 2002), engineering (Elson and Eckels, 2015;Fang et al, 2004) and neuroscience (Hocking et al, 2001;Paulus et al, 2009). Thermal environment performance research has tended to focus on three general areas of performance: psychomotor, perceptual, and cognitive.…”

Gardening for Therapeutic People-Plant Interactions during Long-Duration Space Missions

“…Behavioral and cognitive effects of LDSM conditions based on isolated, confined and extreme (ICE) analog environments and psychological assessments of astronauts on longer duration Space Shuttle flights and missions to the various space stations including Salyut, Mir and ISS have been informative, and demonstrate increased likelihood of mental health disturbances (Sandal et al, 2006;Paulus et al, 2009). Given the goal of reaching Mars, psychological issues are expected to be exacerbated with the decrease in ground-based therapeutic interventions that are now possible in current low Earth orbit missions.…”