Aerospace medicine and human performance 

About: Aerospace medicine and human performance is an academic journal published by Aerospace Medical Association. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Medicine & Poison control. It has an ISSN identifier of 2375-6314. Over the lifetime, 935 publications have been published receiving 5564 citations. The journal is also known as: AMHP & Aerosp Med Hum Perform.

Relaxation with Immersive Natural Scenes Presented Using Virtual Reality.

Abstract: INTRODUCTION Virtual reality (VR) can provide exposure to nature for those living in isolated confined environments We evaluated VR-presented natural settings for reducing stress and improving mood METHODS There were 18 participants (9 men, 9 women), ages 32 ± 12 yr, who viewed three 15-min 360° scenes (an indoor control, rural Ireland, and remote beaches) Subjects were mentally stressed with arithmetic before scenes Electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate variability measured psycho-physiological arousal The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and the 15-question Modified Reality Judgment and Presence Questionnaire (MRJPQ) measured mood and scene quality RESULTS Reductions in EDA from baseline were greater at the end of the natural scenes compared to the control scene (-059, -052, and 032 μS, respectively) The natural scenes reduced negative affect from baseline ( 12 and 11 points), but the control scene did not ( 04 points) MRJPQ scores for the control scene were lower than both natural scenes (49, 67, and 65 points, respectively) Within the two natural scenes, the preferred scene reduced negative affect ( 24 points) more than the second choice scene ( 18 points) and scored higher on the MRJPQ (68 vs 64 points) DISCUSSION Natural scene VR provided relaxation both objectively and subjectively, and scene preference had a significant effect on mood and perception of scene quality VR may enable relaxation for people living in isolated confined environments, particularly when matched to personal preferencesAnderson AP, Mayer MD, Fellows AM, Cowan DR, Hegel MT, Buckey JC Relaxation with immersive natural scenes presented using virtual reality Aerosp Med Hum Perform 2017; 88(6):520526

Development and Validation of the Cognition Test Battery for Spaceflight

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Sustained high-level cognitive performance is of paramount importance for the success of space missions, which involve environmental, physiological, and psychological stressors that may aff ect brain functions. Despite subjective symptom reports of cognitive fl uctuations in spacefl ight, the nature of neurobehavioral functioning in space has not been clarifi ed. METHODS: We developed a computerized cognitive test battery ( Cognition ) that has sensitivity to multiple cognitive domains and was specifi cally designed for the high-performing astronaut population. Cognition consists of 15 unique forms of 10 neuropsychological tests that cover a range of cognitive domains, including emotion processing, spatial orientation, and risk decision making. Cognition is based on tests known to engage specifi c brain regions as evidenced by functional neuroimaging. Here we describe the fi rst normative and acute total sleep deprivation data on the Cognition test battery as well as several eff orts underway to establish the validity, sensitivity, feasibility, and acceptability of Cognition . RESULTS: Practice eff ects and test-retest variability diff ered substantially between the 10 Cognition tests, illustrating the importance of normative data that both refl ect practice eff ects and diff erences in stimulus set diffi culty in the population of interest. After one night without sleep, medium to large eff ect sizes were observed for 3 of the 10 tests addressing vigilant attention (Cohen ’ s d 5 1.00), cognitive throughput (d 5 0.68), and abstract reasoning (d 5 0.65). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to providing neuroimaging-based novel information on the eff ects of spacefl ight on a range of cognitive functions, Cognition will facilitate comparing the eff ects of ground-based analogues to spacefl ight, increase consistency across projects, and thus enable meta-analyses.

Virtual Reality Applications for Stress Management Training in the Military.

Abstract: INTRODUCTION Stress Management Training programs are increasingly being adopted in the military field for resilience empowerment and primary stress prevention. In the last several years, advanced technologies (virtual reality in particular) have been integrated in order to develop more innovative and effective stress training programs for military personnel, including soldiers, pilots, and other aircrew professionals. This systematic review describes experimental studies that have been conducted in recent years to test the effectiveness of virtual reality-based Stress Management Training programs developed for military personnel. This promising state-of-the-art technology has the potential to be a successful new approach in empowering soldiers and increasing their resilience to stress. METHODS To provide an overview from 2001 to 2016 of the application of virtual reality for Stress Management Training programs developed for the military, a computer-based search for relevant publications was performed in several databases. Databases used in the search were PsycINFO, Web of Science (Web of Knowledge), PubMed, and Medline. The search string was: ("Virtual Reality") AND ("Military") AND ["Stress Training" OR ("Stress Management")]. RESULTS There were 14 studies that met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. DISCUSSION The main observation to be drawn from this review is that virtual reality can provide interactive Stress Management Training to decrease levels of perceived stress and negative affect in military personnel. This technology appears to be a promising tool for assessing individuals' resilience to stress and for identifying the impact that stress can have on physiological reactivity and performance.Pallavicini F, Argenton L, Toniazzi N, Aceti L, Mantovani F. Virtual realtiy applications for stress management training in the military. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2016; 87(12):1021-1030.

Physical Training for Long-Duration Spaceflight.

Abstract: INTRODUCTION Physical training has been conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) for the past 10 yr as a countermeasure to physiological deconditioning during spaceflight. Each member space agency has developed its own approach to creating and implementing physical training protocols for their astronauts. We have divided physical training into three distinct phases (preflight, in-flight, and postflight) and provided a description of each phase with its constraints and limitations. We also discuss how each member agency (NASA, ESA, CSA, and JAXA) prescribed physical training for their crewmembers during the first 10 yr of ISS operations. It is important to understand the operational environment, the agency responsible for the physical training program, and the constraints and limitations associated with spaceflight to accurately design and implement exercise training or interpret the exercise data collected on ISS. As exploration missions move forward, resolving agency differences in physical training programs will become important to maximizing the effectiveness of exercise as a countermeasure and minimizing any mission impacts.

Gender differences in navigational memory: pilots vs. nonpilots

Abstract: Introduction The coding of space as near and far is not only determined by arm-reaching distance, but is also dependent on how the brain represents the extension of the body space. Recent reports suggest that the dissociation between reaching and navigational space is not limited to perception and action but also involves memory systems. It has been reported that gender differences emerged only in adverse learning conditions that required strong spatial ability. Methods In this study we investigated navigational versus reaching memory in air force pilots and a control group without flight experience. We took into account temporal duration (working memory and long-term memory) and focused on working memory, which is considered critical in the gender differences literature. Results We found no gender effects or flight hour effects in pilots but observed gender effects in working memory (but not in learning and delayed recall) in the nonpilot population (Women's mean = 5.33; SD= 0.90; Men's mean = 5.54; SD= 0.90). We also observed a difference between pilots and nonpilots in the maintenance of on-line reaching information: pilots (mean = 5.85; SD=0.76) were more efficient than nonpilots (mean = 5.21; SD=0.83) and managed this type of information similarly to that concerning navigational space. In the navigational learning phase they also showed better navigational memory (mean = 137.83; SD=5.81) than nonpilots (mean = 126.96; SD=15.81) and were significantly more proficient than the latter group. Discussion There is no gender difference in a population of pilots in terms of navigational abilities, while it emerges in a control group without flight experience. We found also that pilots performed better than nonpilots. This study suggests that once selected, male and female pilots do not differ from each other in visuo-spatial abilities and spatial navigation.