BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to analyze the sensory and cognitive functions associated with activated brain regions characterizing mental strategy relative to degree of expertise in aviation-related tasks. METHODS: We used echo-planar functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique to examine brain activity in expert pilots (n = 6) compared with novice pilots (n = 6) during performance of a simulated aviation track-following task at 200 knots vs. 100 knots. RESULTS: Expert pilots showed reduced activity in visual and motor regions that contrasted with predominant activation within anterior structures including the frontal and prefrontal cortices; structures involved in visual working memory, planning, selective attention and decision making functions. Novice pilots showed widespread activation of anterior and posterior brain structures, with a rise in activity in the visual, parietal and motor cortices as task difficulty increased. CONCLUSIONS: A high level of performance in the track-following task related to a high degree of expertise in the aviation field. This corresponded to experts performing perceptual and mnemonic processing through a network of specialized functions from visual through multiple prefrontal areas. By contrast, the novice pilots predominantly show activity associated with non-specific perceptual processing and without subsequent representation of selective information in working memory.
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to analyze the sensory and cognitive functions associated with activated brain regions characterizing mental strategy relative to degree of expertise in aviation-related tasks. METHODS: We used echo-planar functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique to examine brain activity in expert pilots (n = 6) compared with novice pilots (n = 6) during performance of a simulated aviation track-following task at 200 knots vs. 100 knots. RESULTS: Expert pilots showed reduced activity in visual and motor regions that contrasted with predominant activation within anterior structures including the frontal and prefrontal cortices; structures involved in visual working memory, planning, selective attention and decision making functions. Novice pilots showed widespread activation of anterior and posterior brain structures, with a rise in activity in the visual, parietal and motor cortices as task difficulty increased. CONCLUSIONS: A high level of performance in the track-following task related to a high degree of expertise in the aviation field. This corresponded to experts performing perceptual and mnemonic processing through a network of specialized functions from visual through multiple prefrontal areas. By contrast, the novice pilots predominantly show activity associated with non-specific perceptual processing and without subsequent representation of selective information in working memory.
Authors: Maheen M Adamson; Joy L Taylor; Daniel Heraldez; Allen Khorasani; Art Noda; Beatriz Hernandez; Jerome A Yesavage Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-11-26 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Joseph M Baker; Jennifer L Bruno; Aaron Piccirilli; Andrew Gundran; Lene K Harbott; David M Sirkin; Matthew Marzelli; S M Hadi Hosseini; Allan L Reiss Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2021-01-21 Impact factor: 4.379
Authors: Tom A Schweizer; Karen Kan; Yuwen Hung; Fred Tam; Gary Naglie; Simon J Graham Journal: Front Hum Neurosci Date: 2013-02-28 Impact factor: 3.169