Monitoring of pre-frontal oxygen status in helicopter pilots using near-infrared spectrophotometers

Azusa Kikukawa,Yoshinori Miyamoto,Asao Kobayashi

doi:10.1186/1476-5918-7-10

Abstract

BackgroundThere are few in-flight studies of cognition-related cerebral oxygen status in helicopter pilots.MethodsFour male helicopter pilots volunteered for nine sorties during visual flight in a BK117 and UH-60J. The pilots' pre-frontal oxy-hemoglobin (O2Hb) and deoxy-hemoglobin (HHb) concentration were continuously monitored from the right/left sections of the forehead using near-infrared spectrophotometers with a consideration of motion artifacts.ResultsThe concentration of O2Hb progressively increased (13.98 μmol•L-1 as a maximum increased concentration) in both the right/left sections of the forehead from the basal level during the heightened cognitive demand of helicopter flight. There was comparatively little change (4.32 μmol•L-1 as a maximum increased concentration) in HHb concentration during measurement of helicopter flight. HHb changes were apparently not affected by a heightened cognitive demand of helicopter pilots.ConclusionThese results demonstrate that near-infrared spectroscopy, especially O2Hb measurements, provides a sensitive method for the monitoring of cognitive demand (maneuvers) in helicopter pilots.

Highlights

There are few in-flight studies of cognition-related cerebral oxygen status in helicopter pilots
Laboratory measurements To determine the effects of head movement on Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurement, healthy subjects were studied under laboratory conditions
The concentration of O2Hb and hemoglobin (O2Hb) and deoxy-hemoglobin (HHb) in the right/left forehead ranged from +2.769 ~ +3.205 μmolL-1 and +0.108 ~ +1.491 μmol L-1 as compared to each baseline

Summary

Introduction

There are few in-flight studies of cognition-related cerebral oxygen status in helicopter pilots. A better understanding of PFOS in terms of cortical signals during actual flight is needed to increase its applicability to flight safety. NIRS has been successfully used to measure the in-flight cerebral oxygen status of F-15 fighter pilots during aerial gunnery training [8] and during air-toair combat maneuvering [11]. Technological advances and a heavy workload have resulted in increasing operational demands on both military and civilian helicopter pilot, so it is critical to understand the pilots' cerebral oxygen status during helicopter flight missions. NIRS measurements can be compromised by movements of the head, especially for real world applications, where (page number not for citation purposes)

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