Examining Mental Workload in a Spatial Navigation Transfer Game via Functional near Infrared Spectroscopy

Galoyan, Tamara; Betts, Kristen; Abramian, Hovag; Reddy, Pratusha; İzzetoǧlu, Kurtuluş; Shewokis, Patricia A.

doi:10.3390/brainsci11010045

Cited by 7 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…This effect being over all the regions (global effect) is likely due to the nature of the task requiring execution and coordination among multiple cognitive processes. This finding is in agreement with previous studies, which have indicated that brain activity during complex tasks is not localized to one specific PFC area [ 26 , 28 , 31 , 36 , 52 , 53 ]. However, post hoc results indicated significant differences primarily within channels 2, 7, 11, 12, and 14.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

Individual differences in skill acquisition and transfer assessed by dual task training performance and brain activity

2022

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Assessment of expertise development during training program primarily consists of evaluating interactions between task characteristics, performance, and mental load. Such a traditional assessment framework may lack consideration of individual characteristics when evaluating training on complex tasks, such as driving and piloting, where operators are typically required to execute multiple tasks simultaneously. Studies have already identified individual characteristics arising from intrinsic, context, strategy, personality, and preference as common predictors of performance and mental load. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of individual difference in skill acquisition and transfer using an ecologically valid dual task, behavioral, and brain activity measures. Specifically, we implemented a search and surveillance task (scanning and identifying targets) using a high-fidelity training simulator for the unmanned aircraft sensor operator, acquired behavioral measures (scan, not scan, over scan, and adaptive target find scores) using simulator-based analysis module, and measured brain activity changes (oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin) from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) using a portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) sensor array. The experimental protocol recruited 13 novice participants and had them undergo three easy and two hard sessions to investigate skill acquisition and transfer, respectively. Our results from skill acquisition sessions indicated that performance on both tasks did not change when individual differences were not accounted for. However inclusion of individual differences indicated that some individuals improved only their scan performance (Attention-focused group), while others improved only their target find performance (Accuracy-focused group). Brain activity changes during skill acquisition sessions showed that mental load decreased in the right anterior medial PFC (RAMPFC) in both groups regardless of individual differences. However, mental load increased in the left anterior medial PFC (LAMPFC) of Attention-focused group and decreased in the Accuracy-focused group only when individual differences were included. Transfer results showed no changes in performance regardless of grouping based on individual differences; however, mental load increased in RAMPFC of Attention-focused group and left dorsolateral PFC (LDLPFC) of Accuracy-focused group. Efficiency and involvement results suggest that the Attention-focused group prioritized the scan task, while the Accuracy-focused group prioritized the target find task. In conclusion, training on multitasks results in individual differences. These differences may potentially be due to individual preference. Future studies should incorporate individual differences while assessing skill acquisition and transfer during multitask training.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

Individual differences in skill acquisition and transfer assessed by dual task training performance and brain activity

2022

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“…Activity within these regions implies that the search and surveillance task employed in this study taxes attention and spatial working memory processes [44]. Furthermore, activations within these channels and regions are in line with other similar fNIRS and fMRI studies evaluating activity during spatial navigation tasks [12,21,37,45,46]. Lastly, channel 7 is overlayed on top of the left anterior medial PFC (LAMPFC) and has been shown by fMRI studies to be involved with task switching [36,39].…”

Section: Prefrontal Cortex's Involvement During Uas Operator's Search and Surveillance Tasksupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Previous studies have repetitively indicated that brain activity during complex tasks is not localized to one PFC area [10,12,15,18,40,41]. Furthermore, studies have also shown increased intersubject variability when studying a complex task in comparison to a standard or simple task (i.e., Stroop, etc.)…”

Section: Prefrontal Cortex's Involvement During Uas Operator's Search and Surveillance Taskmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over the last decade, fNIRS has been used extensively to assess workload, quantify mental capacity, and track training in both laboratory and field settings [6,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. Majority of these studies have focused on quantifying changes in brain activity within the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is responsible for executive functions such as working memory, attention, problem solving, decision making, response inhibition, planning, conflict resolution, mental flexibility, and others [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Utilizing Inter-Subject Variability to Assess Performance and Brain Activity During Complex Task Learning

Reddy

Shewokis

İzzetoǧlu

2021

Preprint

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With tasks becoming more mentally focused and operators being required to conduct multiple tasks simultaneously, it is important to not only acquire direct measurements from the brain, but also account for changes in performance and brain activity as a function of intersubject variability and task demands. Such methodology is particularly important when evaluating skill acquisition and transfer during training on a complex and ecologically valid task. To evaluate the aforementioned factors, we implemented a search and surveillance task (scanning an assigned area and identifying targets) using a high-fidelity Unmanned Aerial System operator training simulator, acquired brain activity changes via a portable functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) sensor array, and had novice participants (N = 13) undergo three sessions of easy difficulty followed by two harder difficulty sessions. Behavioral performance results indicated no significant change in scan or target find performance across easy sessions when intersubject variability was not accounted for. However, accounting for intersubject variability indicated that some individuals improved their scan performance, and they deteriorated their target find performance (Attention-focused group), while others deteriorated their scan performance, and they improved their target find performance (Accuracy-focused group). fNIRS results displayed that both groups exhibited a decrease in brain activity across easy sessions within the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) and right anterior medial PFC (RAMPFC), while activity in left anterior medial prefrontal cortex (LAMPFC) increased in the Attention-focused group and decreased in the Accuracy-focused group. In both groups, transitioning to hard sessions resulted in a decrease in performance. The Attention-focused group displayed an increase in brain activity within LDLPFC, RAMPFC and LAMPFC, while the Accuracy-focused group displayed an increase in brain activity within LDLPFC, no change within RAMPFC and a decrease within LAMPFC. These results suggest that the Attention-focused group was able to acquire and transfer the skills needed to efficiently complete the scan task, while remaining engaged in a target find task. Alternatively, the Accuracy-focused group was engaged only on acquiring the skills needed to efficiently complete the target find task. In conclusion, these results suggest that utilizing intersubject variability as relevant information rather than noise improves assessments of skill acquisition and transfer during training on a complex task.

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“…Training Effect across Task Difficulty: We observed higher oxygenation and behavioral performance changes in the 'easy' condition. This may present conflict with other cognitive workload studies as the main hypothesis in such studies would be that there is a significant main effect between task difficulty and mental workload, as measured by Oxy [14,30]. That is, it is hypothesized to observe lower oxygenation in the easy condition compared to the difficult condition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Studying Brain Activation during Skill Acquisition via Robot-Assisted Surgery Training

et al. 2021

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Robot-assisted surgery systems are a recent breakthrough in minimally invasive surgeries, offering numerous benefits to both patients and surgeons including, but not limited to, greater visualization of the operation site, greater precision during operation and shorter hospitalization times. Training on robot-assisted surgery (RAS) systems begins with the use of high-fidelity simulators. Hence, the increasing demand of employing RAS systems has led to a rise in using RAS simulators to train medical doctors. The aim of this study was to investigate the brain activity changes elicited during the skill acquisition of resident surgeons by measuring hemodynamic changes from the prefrontal cortex area via a neuroimaging sensor, namely, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Twenty-four participants, who are resident medical doctors affiliated with different surgery departments, underwent an RAS simulator training during this study and completed the sponge suturing tasks at three different difficulty levels in two consecutive sessions/blocks. The results reveal that cortical oxygenation changes in the prefrontal cortex were significantly lower during the second training session (Block 2) compared to the initial training session (Block 1) (p < 0.05).

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Examining Mental Workload in a Spatial Navigation Transfer Game via Functional near Infrared Spectroscopy

Cited by 7 publications

References 40 publications

Individual differences in skill acquisition and transfer assessed by dual task training performance and brain activity

Individual differences in skill acquisition and transfer assessed by dual task training performance and brain activity

Utilizing Inter-Subject Variability to Assess Performance and Brain Activity During Complex Task Learning

Studying Brain Activation during Skill Acquisition via Robot-Assisted Surgery Training

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