Predicting Individual Differences in Response to Sleep Loss

Predicting Individual Differences in Response to Sleep Loss

Research Information Bulletin No. 11-46, 1 Jan 2009-31 Dec 2011
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA549152&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


NAVAL MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT DAYTON WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH

 Chandler, Joseph F

Fatigue resulting from poor or insufficient sleep is commonplace in the modern military. Previous work at this laboratory sought to validate the use of noninvasive eye-tracking (PMI FIT 2000) and cognitive (FlightFit) performance tests to detect individual impairment due to fatigue in a military population (see technical report: DTIC ADA522106). Over the course of 25 hours of continual wakefulness in a laboratory setting, eye-tracking measures of saccadic velocity (eye movement speed) and cognitive performance (attention shifting) were highly sensitive to the effects of fatigue. A recent study further validated eye-tracking and cognitive performance measures for detecting individual differences in fatigue resistance under chronic, cumulative sleep loss conditions. The study employed a chronic sleep restriction protocol, in which 4 hours of sleep were allowed each 24-hour period. Significant fatigue effects were observed on multiple components of the eye-tracker and on a flight simulator task (cognitive performance data analyses are ongoing). Analyses also revealed significant individual differences across time for saccadic velocity and flight simulator performance. Studying realistic, chronic fatigue conditions on an individual level is a step in the right direction for operational research. The ultimate goal of this line of research is the development and transition of individualized predictive fatigue models which improve upon the predictive accuracy of current tools, increasing the safety and efficiency of crew scheduling.





ATTENTION, *COGNITION, *EYE MOVEMENTS, *FATIGUE(PHYSIOLOGY), *FLIGHT SIMULATORS, *PERFORMANCE(HUMAN), *SLEEP DEPRIVATION, FLIGHT CREWS, NAVAL PERSONNEL, PERFORMANCE TESTS, PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS, PREDICTIONS, REACTION TIME, SCHEDULING, TRACKING