Parameters of oculomotor activity and cerebral hemodynamics in students with different types of autonomic reactivity while performing cognitive tasks

Abstract

BACKGROUND: At the current state of human development, with the high rates of knowledge accumulation and accelerated social and technical evolution, studying the psychophysiological features of cognitive activity within a limited time is essential.

AIM: To examine oculomotor activity and cerebral hemodynamics parameters in students with different types of autonomic reactivity while performing cognitive tasks.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study enrolled 110 students of the Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov (mean age, 19.0±0.5 years). To identify specific features of cognitive activity in various timing conditions, the type of autonomic nervous system reactivity was determined. Eye movements were tracked when solving cognitive tasks at various timing conditions. A rheoencephalogram was simultaneously recorded to assess cerebral hemodynamics. The efficiency of cognitive activity was assessed in various timing conditions with consideration of the identified individual typological features.

RESULTS: The participants demonstrated different efficiency levels of cognitive activity when performing cognitive tasks at various timing conditions. Students with a sympathetic-tone type of autonomic reactivity revealed the most efficient and rapid processing of visual information under a time-constraint setting owing to the presence of a more stable relationship between oculomotor activity and cerebral hemodynamics parameters. Participants with parasympathetic-tone reactivity showed the lowest success rates in cognitive activity and the least stable relationships between oculomotor activity and cerebral hemodynamics.

CONCLUSIONS: Young individuals with different types of autonomic reactivity exhibited general and specific alterations in cerebral hemodynamics and oculomotor activity when performing cognitive tasks under a time-constraint setting. They showed different efficiency levels of cognitive activity. Thus, human cognitive abilities under stress depend on the reactivity type of the nervous system. The specific changes in oculomotor reactions and cerebral hemodynamics parameters may be considered success markers of cognitive activity. The most successful cognitive activity under limited time conditions is ensured with a more stable statistical relationship between cerebral hemodynamics and oculomotor activity parameters. This is reflected in a stable factor model of visual cognitive activity, regardless of time limitations.

Keywords

autonomic nervous system / stress / hemodynamics / eye movement / saccade / cognitive functions / thinking process / performance efficiency

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