Blink-Related Oscillations Provide Naturalistic Assessments of Brain Function and Cognitive Workload within Complex Real-World Multitasking Environments.

BACKGROUND: There is a significant need to monitor human cognitive performance in complex environments, with one example being pilot performance. However, existing assessments largely focus on subjective experiences (e.g., questionnaires) and the evaluation of behavior (e.g., aircraft handling) as surrogates for cognition or utilize brainwave measures which require artificial setups (e.g., simultaneous auditory stimuli) that intrude on the primary tasks. Blink-related oscillations (BROs) are a recently discovered neural phenomenon associated with spontaneous blinking that can be captured without artificial setups and are also modulated by cognitive loading and the external sensory environment-making them ideal for brain function assessment within complex operational settings. METHODS: Electroencephalography (EEG) data were recorded from eight adult participants (five F, M = 21.1 years) while they completed the Multi-Attribute Task Battery under three different cognitive loading conditions. BRO responses in time and frequency domains were derived from the EEG data, and comparisons of BRO responses across cognitive loading conditions were undertaken. Simultaneously, assessments of blink behavior were also undertaken. RESULTS: Blink behavior assessments revealed decreasing blink rate with increasing cognitive load (p < 0.001). Prototypical BRO responses were successfully captured in all participants (p < 0.001). BRO responses reflected differences in task-induced cognitive loading in both time and frequency domains (p < 0.05). Additionally, reduced pre-blink theta band desynchronization with increasing cognitive load was also observed (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study confirms the ability of BRO responses to capture cognitive loading effects as well as preparatory pre-blink cognitive processes in anticipation of the upcoming blink during a complex multitasking situation. These successful results suggest that blink-related neural processing could be a potential avenue for cognitive state evaluation in operational settings-both specialized environments such as cockpits, space exploration, military units, etc. and everyday situations such as driving, athletics, human-machine interactions, etc.-where human cognition needs to be seamlessly monitored and optimized.

Blink-related EEG oscillations are neurophysiological indicators of subconcussive head impacts in female soccer players: a preliminary study.

Introduction: Repetitive subconcussive head impacts can lead to subtle neural changes and functional consequences on brain health. However, the objective assessment of these changes remains limited. Resting state blink-related oscillations (BROs), recently discovered neurological responses following spontaneous blinking, are explored in this study to evaluate changes in BRO responses in subconcussive head impacts. Methods: We collected 5-min resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) data from two cohorts of collegiate athletes who were engaged in contact sports (SC) or non-contact sports (HC). Video recordings of all on-field activities were conducted to determine the number of head impacts during games and practices in the SC group. Results: In both groups, we were able to detect a BRO response. Following one season of games and practice, we found a strong association between the number of head impacts sustained by the SC group and increases in delta and beta spectral power post-blink. There was also a significant difference between the two groups in the morphology of BRO responses, including decreased peak-to-peak amplitude of response over left parietal channels and differences in spectral power in delta and alpha frequency range post-blink. Discussion: Our preliminary results suggest that the BRO response may be a useful biomarker for detecting subtle neural changes resulting from repetitive head impacts. The clinical utility of this biomarker will need to be validated through further research with larger sample sizes, involving both male and female participants, using a longitudinal design.

Towards ubiquitous and nonintrusive measurements of brain function in the real world: assessing blink-related oscillations during simulated flight using portable low-cost EEG.

Blink-related oscillations (BRO) are newly discovered neurophysiological phenomena associated with spontaneous blinking and represent cascading neural mechanisms including visual sensory, episodic memory, and information processing responses. These phenomena have been shown to be present at rest and during tasks and are modulated by cognitive load, creating the possibility for brain function assessments that can be integrated seamlessly into real-world settings. Prior works have largely examined the BRO phenomenon within controlled laboratory environments using magnetoencephalography and high-density electroencephalography (EEG) that are ill-suited for real-world deployment. Investigating BROs using low-density EEG within complex environments reflective of the real-world would further our understanding of how BRO responses can be utilized in real-world settings. We evaluated whether the BRO response could be captured in a high-fidelity flight simulation environment using a portable, low-density wireless EEG system. The effects of age and task demands on BRO responses were also examined. EEG data from 30 licensed pilots (age 43.37 +/- 17.86, 2 females) were collected during simulated flights at two cognitive workload levels. Comparisons of signal amplitudes were undertaken to confirm the presence of BRO responses and mixed model ANOVAs quantified the effects of workload and age group on BRO amplitudes. Significant increases in neural activity were observed post-blink compared to the baseline period (p < 0.05), confirming the presence of BRO responses. In line with prior studies, results showed BRO time-domain responses from the delta band (0.5-4 Hz) consisting of an early negative peak followed by a positive peak post-blink in temporal and parietal electrodes. Additionally, task workload and age-related effects were also found, with observations of the enhancement of BRO amplitudes with older age and attenuation of BRO responses in high workloads (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that it is possible to capture BRO responses within simulated flight environments using portable, low-cost, easy-to-use EEG systems. Furthermore, biological and task salience were reflected in these BRO responses. The successful detection and demonstration of both task-and age-related modulation of BRO responses in this study open the possibility of assessing human brain function across the lifespan with BRO responses in complex and realistic environments.