Wang Liang, Yang Chengshi, Yan Dongfeng, Ye Lu, Chen Xi, Ma Shan
Institute of Flight Technology, Civil Aviation Flight University of China, Guanghan, Sichuan, China.
PLoS One. 2025 Feb 10;20(2):e0313148. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313148. eCollection 2025.
In recent years, the impact of professional training on brain structure has sparked extensive research interest. Research into pilots as a high-demand, high-load, and high-cost occupation holds significant academic and economic value. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of flight training on the brain structure and cognitive functions of flying cadets. The structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) data from 39 flying cadets and 37 general college students underwent analysis using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and surface-based morphometry (SBM) methods to quantitatively detect and compute multiple indicators, including gray matter volume (GMV), curvature, mean curvature of the white matter surface (MC-WMS), the percentage of surface white matter gray matter (WM-GM percentage), surface Jacobi (S-Jacobi), and Gaussian curvature of white matter surface (GC-WMS). At the voxel level, the GMV in the left temporal pole: middle temporal gyrus region of flying cadets significantly decreased (Gaussian random field, GRF, P < 0.05). At the surface level, there was a significant increase in curvature, MC-WMS, and S-Jacobi in the lateral occipital region of flight cadets (Monte Carlo block level correction, MCBLC, P<0.05), a significant increase in WM-GM percentage in the cuneus region of flight cadets (MCBLC, P<0.05), and a significant increase in GC-WMS in the middle temporal region of flight cadets (MCBLC, P<0.05). In addition, these changes were correlated with behavioral tests. Research suggested that flight training might induce changes in certain brain regions of flying cadets, enabling them to adapt to evolving training content and environments, thereby enhancing their problem-solving and flight abilities. By analyzing multiple indicators at the voxel and surface levels in an integrated manner, it advances our understanding of brain structure, function, and plasticity, while also facilitating a more profound exploration of the neural mechanisms within the pilot's brain.
近年来，专业训练对大脑结构的影响引发了广泛的研究兴趣。将飞行员作为一种高要求、高负荷且高成本的职业进行研究具有重大的学术和经济价值。本研究旨在探讨飞行训练对飞行学员大脑结构和认知功能的影响。对39名飞行学员和37名普通大学生的结构磁共振成像（sMRI）数据采用基于体素的形态测量（VBM）和基于表面的形态测量（SBM）方法进行分析，以定量检测和计算多个指标，包括灰质体积（GMV）、曲率、白质表面平均曲率（MC-WMS）、表面白质灰质百分比（WM-GM百分比）、表面雅可比行列式（S-Jacobi）以及白质表面高斯曲率（GC-WMS）。在体素水平上，飞行学员左颞极：颞中回区域的GMV显著降低（高斯随机场，GRF，P<0.05）。在表面水平上，飞行学员枕外侧区域的曲率、MC-WMS和S-Jacobi显著增加（蒙特卡罗块水平校正，MCBLC，P<0.05），飞行学员楔叶区域的WM-GM百分比显著增加（MCBLC，P<0.05），飞行学员颞中区域的GC-WMS显著增加（MCBLC，P<0.05）。此外，这些变化与行为测试相关。研究表明，飞行训练可能会引起飞行学员某些脑区的变化，使他们能够适应不断变化的训练内容和环境，从而提高他们解决问题的能力和飞行能力。通过综合分析体素和表面水平的多个指标，增进了我们对大脑结构、功能和可塑性的理解，同时也有助于更深入地探索飞行员大脑中的神经机制。
