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Brain Sciences
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Studies in Human Performance and Experience: Neuroscience and Functional Brain...
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Studies in Human Performance and Experience: Neuroscience and Functional Brain Imaging: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurotechnology and Neuroimaging".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2025 | Viewed by 2685

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Kurtulus Izzetoglu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Interests: neuroimaging; biomedical signal processing; functional brain imaging; near-infrared spectroscopy; traumatic brain injury; anesthesia care; human performance; human autonomy teaming; learning and training
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The past two decades have seen the increasing significance of technologies deployed to provide measures of cognitive functioning, stress, fatigue, or emotion in field settings. From the aerospace industry to healthcare, there are numerous unmet needs that can be addressed by properly adapting these technologies and methodologies. Quantitative assessments of joint human-autonomy performance, the provision of analytics for the design of curricula, and scenarios to enable adaptive and personalized training are just a few examples illustrating the potential role of these technologies. This trend also provides us with an opportunity to apply such technologies in more contextually real and dynamic environments. 

The measurement of neurophysiological changes in real time during complex, real-world tasks can help us evaluate decision making and reliably compare the workload burden of next-generation systems versus legacy systems in various domains. The goal of this Special Issue is to present a collection of studies focusing on neuroimaging and key cognitive areas of interest when attempting to explore the correlation between neurophysiological state, task load, and level of expertise. We aim to publish a number of studies in which wearable physiological and neuro-physiological sensors and neuroimaging devices, such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), electroencephalogram (EEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), eye tracking, and galvanic skin response (GSR), are used to evaluate human performance and training in real operational settings.

Dr. Kurtulus Izzetoglu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cognitive load
  • mental workload
  • functional brain imaging
  • fNIRS
  • fMRI
  • EEG
  • eye tracking
  • learning
  • training
  • human-autonomy teaming

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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21 pages, 3908 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Minimally Invasive Surgical Modality and Task Complexity on Cognitive Workload: An fNIRS Study
by Fuat Ücrak, Kurtulus Izzetoglu, Mert Deniz Polat, Ümit Gür, Turan Şahin, Serhat Ilgaz Yöner, Neslihan Gökmen İnan, Mehmet Emin Aksoy and Cengizhan Öztürk
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(4), 387; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15040387 - 8 Apr 2025
Viewed by 381
Abstract
Background: Minimally invasive surgical techniques, including laparoscopic and robotic surgery, have profoundly impacted surgical practice by improving precision, reducing recovery times, and minimizing complications. However, these modalities differ in their cognitive demands and skill acquisition requirements, which can influence the learning curve and [...] Read more.
Background: Minimally invasive surgical techniques, including laparoscopic and robotic surgery, have profoundly impacted surgical practice by improving precision, reducing recovery times, and minimizing complications. However, these modalities differ in their cognitive demands and skill acquisition requirements, which can influence the learning curve and operative performance. To assess and evaluate this variability across these modalities, a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) system is used as an objective method for monitoring cognitive activity in surgical trainees. fNIRS can provide insights and further our understanding of the mental demands of different surgical techniques and their association with varying task complexity. Objective: This study seeks to assess the influence of surgical modality (laparoscopy vs. robotic surgery) and task complexity (pick and place (PP) vs. knot tying (KT)) on cognitive workload through fNIRS. We compare real-world and simulation-based training environments to determine changes in brain activation patterns and task performance. Methods: A total of twenty-six surgical trainees (general and gynecologic surgery residents and specialists) participated in this study. Participants completed standardized laparoscopic and robotic surgical tasks at varying levels of complexity while their cognitive workload was measured using fNIRS. This study included both simulation-based training and real-world surgical environments. Hemodynamic responses in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), task completion times, and performance metrics were analyzed. Results: Laparoscopic surgery elicited higher activity changes in the prefrontal cortex, indicating increased cognitive demand compared with robotic surgery, particularly for complex tasks like knot tying. Task complexity significantly influenced mental load, with more intricate procedures eliciting greater neural activation. Real-world training resulted in higher cognitive engagement than simulation, emphasizing the gap between simulated and actual surgical performance. Conclusions: Cognitive workload was lower and significantly different during robotic surgery than during laparoscopy, potentially due to its ergonomic advantages and enhanced motor control. Simulation-based training effectively prepares surgeons, but the cognitive workload results indicate that it may not fully replicate real-world surgical environments. These findings reveal the importance of cognitive workload assessment in surgical education and suggest that incorporating neuroimaging techniques such as fNIRS into training programs could enhance skill acquisition and performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies in Human Performance and Experience: Neuroscience and Functional Brain Imaging: 2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 3684 KiB  
Article
The Posterior Dominant Rhythm Remains Within Normal Limits in the Microgravity Environment
by Vasileios Kokkinos, Andreas M. Koupparis, Tomer Fekete, Eran Privman, Ofer Avin, Ophir Almagor, Oren Shriki and Amir Hadanny
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(12), 1194; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14121194 - 27 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1892
Abstract
Background: Electroencephalogram (EEG) biomarkers with adequate sensitivity and specificity to reflect the brain’s health status can become indispensable for health monitoring during prolonged missions in space. The objective of our study was to assess whether the basic features of the posterior dominant rhythm [...] Read more.
Background: Electroencephalogram (EEG) biomarkers with adequate sensitivity and specificity to reflect the brain’s health status can become indispensable for health monitoring during prolonged missions in space. The objective of our study was to assess whether the basic features of the posterior dominant rhythm (PDR) change under microgravity conditions compared to earth-based scalp EEG recordings. Methods: Three crew members during the 16-day AXIOM-1 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), underwent scalp EEG recordings before, during, and after the mission by means of a dry-electrode self-donning headgear designed to support long-term EEG recordings in space. Resting-state recordings were performed with eyes open and closed during relaxed wakefulness. The electrodes representative of EEG activity in each occipital lobe were used, and consecutive PDR oscillations were identified during periods of eye closure. In turn, cursor-based markers were placed at the negative peak of each sinusoidal wave of the PDR. Waveform averaging and time-frequency analysis were performed for all PDR samples for the respective pre-mission, mission, and post-mission EEGs. Results: No significant differences were found in the mean frequency of the PDR in any of the crew subjects between their EEG on the ISS and their pre- or post-mission EEG on ground level. The PDR oscillations varied over a ±1Hz standard deviation range. Similarly, no significant differences were found in PDR’s power spectral density. Conclusions: Our study shows that the spectral features of the PDR remain within normal limits in a short exposure to the microgravity environment, with its frequency manifesting within an acceptable ±1 Hz variation from the pre-mission mean. Further investigations for EEG features and markers reflecting the human brain neurophysiology during space missions are required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies in Human Performance and Experience: Neuroscience and Functional Brain Imaging: 2nd Edition)
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