Institute for Systems Engineering and Computers-Technology and Science (INESC TEC), Porto 4200-465, Portugal.
Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto 4200-465, Portugal.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 May 26;15(6):1080. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15061080.
Stress can impact multiple psychological and physiological human domains. In order to better understand the effect of stress on cognitive performance, and whether this effect is related to an autonomic response to stress, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was used as a testing platform along with a 2-Choice Reaction Time Task. When considering the nature and importance of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) work and the fact that they are subjected to high levels of stress, this study was conducted with a sample of ATCs ( = 11). Linear Heart Rate Variability (HRV) features were extracted from ATCs electrocardiogram (ECG) acquired using a medical-grade wearable ECG device (Vital Jacket (1-Lead, Biodevices S.A, Matosinhos, Portugal)). Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) were also used to measure perceived stress. TSST produced statistically significant changes in some HRV parameters (Average of normal-to-normal intervals (AVNN), Standard Deviation of all NN (SDNN), root mean square of differences between successive rhythm-to-rhythm (RR) intervals (RMSSD), pNN20, and LF/HF) and subjective measures of stress, which recovered after the stress task. Although these short-term changes in HRV showed a tendency to normalize, an impairment on cognitive performance was evident. Despite that participant's reaction times were lower, the accuracy significantly decreased, presenting more errors after performing the acute stress event. Results can also point to the importance of the development of quantified occupational health (qOHealth) devices to allow for the monitoring of stress responses.
压力会影响到人类的多个心理和生理领域。为了更好地理解压力对认知表现的影响，以及这种影响是否与对压力的自主反应有关，本研究使用特里尔社会压力测试（TSST）作为测试平台，并结合了 2 选择反应时任务。考虑到空中交通管制员（ATC）工作的性质和重要性，以及他们承受高压力的事实，本研究对一组 ATC 进行了测试（n=11）。使用医疗级可穿戴心电图设备（Vital Jacket（1-Lead，Biodevices S.A，Matosinhos，Portugal））采集 ATC 的心电图（ECG），提取线性心率变异性（HRV）特征。还使用视觉模拟量表（VAS）来测量感知压力。TSST 导致一些 HRV 参数（正常到正常间隔的平均值（AVNN）、所有 NN 的标准差（SDNN）、连续节律到节律（RR）间隔之间差异的均方根（RMSSD）、pNN20 和 LF/HF）和主观压力测量值发生了统计学上的显著变化，这些变化在应激任务后得到了恢复。尽管 HRV 的这些短期变化有趋于正常化的趋势，但认知表现明显受损。尽管参与者的反应时间较低，但准确性显著下降，在进行急性应激事件后，错误明显增加。研究结果还表明了开发量化职业健康（qOHealth）设备以监测应激反应的重要性。
