Enriquez-Geppert Stefanie, Smit Diede, de Boer Marike C, Daneshnia Negin, Lafont Alex, Dehais Frédéric
Department of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
Front Neuroergon. 2024 Dec 5;5:1462304. doi: 10.3389/fnrgo.2024.1462304. eCollection 2024.
Piloting is a complex task that demands robust cognitive functions to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a constantly changing environment. As a result, cognitive abilities, particularly executive functions (EFs), have gained significant importance in relation to flight performance. However, the specific EFs most critical for predicting flight performance remain unclear. Understanding the exact nature of this relationship has the potential to advance research on pilot selection procedures, cockpit design, and influence cognitive training approaches to ultimately improve flight safety. This systematic review aims to pinpoint the most pertinent EFs for various aspects of airplane piloting. A systematic narrative literature review was conducted with a framework focusing on four EFs: working memory updating, set-shifting, response inhibition, and conflict monitoring, as well as three key aspects of flight performance: flying, navigating, and communicating. The findings suggest that multiple EFs predict flight performance outcomes. Notably, working memory updating significantly predicts the management of communication tasks and the making of critical decisions requiring mental flexibility. However, other specific EFs remain understudied. To advance this research area, we recommend conceptualizing EFs and flying measures based on existing theoretical frameworks, using measures sensitive to specific EFs, evaluating flying performance in simulated or real flights, controlling or accounting for factors that affect EFs and flying performance, and investigating the ameliorative potential of EFs with end results on flight performance.
飞行驾驶是一项复杂的任务，需要强大的认知功能才能在不断变化的环境中同时处理多项任务。因此，认知能力，尤其是执行功能（EFs），在飞行表现方面变得至关重要。然而，对于预测飞行表现最为关键的具体执行功能仍不明确。了解这种关系的确切性质有可能推动飞行员选拔程序、驾驶舱设计的研究，并影响认知训练方法，最终提高飞行安全性。本系统综述旨在确定飞机驾驶各个方面最相关的执行功能。我们进行了一项系统的叙述性文献综述，其框架聚焦于四项执行功能：工作记忆更新、任务转换、反应抑制和冲突监测，以及飞行表现的三个关键方面：飞行、导航和通信。研究结果表明，多项执行功能可预测飞行表现结果。值得注意的是，工作记忆更新显著预测通信任务管理以及需要思维灵活性的关键决策制定。然而，其他特定的执行功能仍研究不足。为推动这一研究领域的发展，我们建议基于现有理论框架对执行功能和飞行测量进行概念化，使用对特定执行功能敏感的测量方法，在模拟或实际飞行中评估飞行表现，控制或考虑影响执行功能和飞行表现的因素，并研究执行功能对飞行表现最终结果的改善潜力。
