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Evaluation of a Fast Test Based on Biometric Signals to Assess Mental Fatigue at the Workplace-A Pilot Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182211891. [PMID: 34831645 PMCID: PMC8621458 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182211891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Non-pathological mental fatigue is a recurring, but undesirable condition among people in the fields of office work, industry, and education. This type of mental fatigue can often lead to negative outcomes, such as performance reduction and cognitive impairment in education; loss of focus and burnout syndrome in office work; and accidents leading to injuries or death in the transportation and manufacturing industries. Reliable mental fatigue assessment tools are promising in the improvement of performance, mental health and safety of students and workers, and at the same time, in the reduction of risks, accidents and the associated economic loss (e.g., medical fees and equipment reparations). The analysis of biometric (brain, cardiac, skin conductance) signals has proven to be effective in discerning different stages of mental fatigue; however, many of the reported studies in the literature involve the use of long fatigue-inducing tests and subject-specific models in their methodologies. Recent trends in the modeling of mental fatigue suggest the usage of non subject-specific (general) classifiers and a time reduction of calibration procedures and experimental setups. In this study, the evaluation of a fast and short-calibration mental fatigue assessment tool based on biometric signals and inter-subject modeling, using multiple linear regression, is presented. The proposed tool does not require fatigue-inducing tests, which allows fast setup and implementation. Electroencephalography, photopletismography, electrodermal activity, and skin temperature from 17 subjects were recorded, using an OpenBCI helmet and an Empatica E4 wristband. Correlations to self-reported mental fatigue levels (using the fatigue assessment scale) were calculated to find the best mental fatigue predictors. Three-class mental fatigue models were evaluated, and the best model obtained an accuracy of 88% using three features, β/θ (C3), and the α/θ (O2 and C3) ratios, from one minute of electroencephalography measurements. The results from this pilot study show the feasibility and potential of short-calibration procedures and inter-subject classifiers in mental fatigue modeling, and will contribute to the use of wearable devices for the development of tools oriented to the well-being of workers and students, and also in daily living activities.
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Greaney JL, Kenney WL. Measuring and quantifying skin sympathetic nervous system activity in humans. J Neurophysiol 2017; 118:2181-2193. [PMID: 28701539 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00283.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Development of the technique of microneurography has substantially increased our understanding of the function of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in health and in disease. The ability to directly record signals from peripheral autonomic nerves in conscious humans allows for qualitative and quantitative characterization of SNS responses to specific stimuli and over time. Furthermore, distinct neural outflow to muscle (MSNA) and skin (SSNA) can be delineated. However, there are limitations and caveats to the use of microneurography, measurement criteria, and signal analysis and interpretation. MSNA recordings have a longer history and are considered relatively more straightforward from a measurement and analysis perspective. This brief review provides an overview of the development of the technique as used to measure SSNA. The focus is on the utility of measuring sympathetic activity directed to the skin, the unique issues related to analyzing and quantifying multiunit SSNA, and the challenges related to its interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jody L Greaney
- Noll Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - W Larry Kenney
- Noll Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
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Burton AR, Fazalbhoy A, Macefield VG. Sympathetic Responses to Noxious Stimulation of Muscle and Skin. Front Neurol 2016; 7:109. [PMID: 27445972 PMCID: PMC4927631 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2016.00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute pain triggers adaptive physiological responses that serve as protective mechanisms that prevent continuing damage to tissues and cause the individual to react to remove or escape the painful stimulus. However, an extension of the pain response beyond signaling tissue damage and healing, such as in chronic pain states, serves no particular biological function; it is maladaptive. The increasing number of chronic pain sufferers is concerning, and the associated disease burden is putting healthcare systems around the world under significant pressure. The incapacitating effects of long-lasting pain are not just psychological – reflexes driven by nociceptors during the establishment of chronic pain may cause serious physiological consequences on regulation of other body systems. The sympathetic nervous system is inherently involved in a host of physiological responses evoked by noxious stimulation. Experimental animal and human models demonstrate a diverse array of heterogeneous reactions to nociception. The purpose of this review is to understand how pain affects the sympathetic nervous system by investigating the reflex cardiovascular and neural responses to acute pain and the long-lasting physiological responses to prolonged (tonic) pain. By observing the sympathetic responses to long-lasting pain, we can begin to understand the physiological consequences of long-term pain on cardiovascular regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Azharuddin Fazalbhoy
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University , Bundoora, VIC , Australia
| | - Vaughan G Macefield
- School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Kuwahara Y, Tsukahara R, Iwase S, Shimizu Y, Nishimura N, Sugenoya J, Sato M. Arousal electrical stimuli evoke sudomotor activity related to P300, and skin vasoconstrictor activity related to N140 in humans. Clin Neurophysiol 2014; 126:933-42. [PMID: 25262647 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2014.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Revised: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 08/30/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Arousal stimuli evoke bursts of skin sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA). SSNA usually contains sudomotor and vasoconstrictor neural spikes. The aim of this study was to elucidate which components of event-related potentials (ERPs) are related to sudomotor and vasoconstrictor responses comprising arousal SSNA bursts. METHODS We recorded SSNA from the tibial nerve by microneurography, with corresponding sympathetic skin response (SSR), sympathetic flow response (SFR), and ERPs in 10 healthy subjects. Electrical stimulation of the median nerve was used to induce arousal responses. ERPs were classified by the occurrence of SSR and SFR. RESULTS SSNA bursts followed by SSR were associated with larger P300 than SSNA bursts followed by no SSR. For N140, no difference in the amplitude was found between SSNA bursts with and without SSR. SSNA bursts followed by SFR were associated with larger N140 than SSNA bursts followed by no SFR. However, there were no differences in the amplitude of P300 between SSNA bursts with and without SFR. CONCLUSIONS Sudomotor and skin vasoconstrictor responses to arousal stimuli were differently associated with distinct ERP components. SIGNIFICANCE The possibility that sudomotor and skin vasoconstrictor activities comprising arousal SSNA reflect different stages of the cognitive process is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Kuwahara
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan.
| | - Reiko Tsukahara
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan; Institute for Developmental Research, Aichi Human Service Center, 713-8 Kamiya-Cho, Kasugai, Aichi 480-0392, Japan
| | - Satoshi Iwase
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Yuuki Shimizu
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Naoki Nishimura
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Junichi Sugenoya
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan; Department of Nursing, Sugiyama Jyogakuen University, 17-3 Motomachi, Hoshigaoka, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8662, Japan
| | - Motohiko Sato
- Department of Physiology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
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Muller MD, Sauder CL, Ray CA. Mental Stress Elicits Sustained and Reproducible Increases in Skin Sympathetic Nerve Activity. Physiol Rep 2013; 1. [PMID: 23750321 PMCID: PMC3673729 DOI: 10.1002/phy2.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Mental stress (MS) is a known trigger of myocardial infarction and sudden death. By activating the sympathetic nervous system, MS may have deleterious effect on the cardiovascular system but this process is not completely understood. The primary aim of this study was to quantify the effect of MS on skin sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA). The secondary aim was to determine the reproducibility of SSNA to MS within a given day and ∼1 week later. Ten subjects (26 ± 1 year) performed two bouts of mental arithmetic lasting 3 min. The bouts were separated by 45 min. One week later the subjects returned to repeat MS. All experiments were conducted in the supine posture during the morning hours. To maintain neutral skin temperature, each subject wore a custom suit (34–35°C). Skin blood flow and sweat rate were measured on the dorsal foot. MS elicited a marked increase in SSNA within the first 10 sec (184 ± 42%; P < 0.01) in all subjects, which was less during the remaining period of MS, but remained elevated (87 ± 20; P < 0.01). The pattern of responses to MS was unchanged during the second bout (10 sec, 247 ± 55%; 3 min average, 133 ± 29%) and during the retest 1 week later (10 sec, 196 ± 55%; 3 min average, 117 ± 36%). MS did not significantly affect cutaneous vascular conductance or sweat rate during any trial. In summary, MS elicits robust and reproducible increases in SSNA in humans, which may be followed over time to observe alterations in the regulation of the autonomic nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Muller
- Penn State Heart & Vascular Institute, Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Clinical Research Center, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA 17033
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Hall SC, Fazalbhoy A, Birznieks I, Macefield VG. Biphasic effects of tonic stimulation of muscle nociceptors on skin sympathetic nerve activity in human subjects. Exp Brain Res 2012; 221:107-14. [PMID: 22766847 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-012-3156-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Accepted: 06/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Skin sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA) controls skin blood flow and sweat release, and acute noxious stimulation of skin has been shown to cause a decrease in SSNA in the anaesthetised or spinal cat. In awake human subjects, acute muscle pain causes a transient rise in SSNA, but the impact of long-lasting (tonic) stimulation of muscle nociceptors on skin sympathetic outflow, blood flow and sweat release is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that tonic stimulation of muscle nociceptors causes a sustained increase in sympathetic outflow to the skin. SSNA was recorded from the common peroneal nerve of 10 awake human subjects. Tonic muscle pain was induced by infusing hypertonic saline (7 %) into the tibialis anterior muscle over ~40 min, titrated to achieve a constant level of muscle pain. SSNA initially increased following the onset of the infusion, reaching a peak of 164 % of baseline within 5 min, but then showed a prolonged and sustained decrease, reaching a nadir of 77 % in 20 min. Conversely, skin blood flow (and vascular conductance) initially decreased, followed by a progressive increase; there were no consistent changes in sweat release. In 9 of 10 subjects, SSNA and skin blood flow were inversely related. We conclude that sympathetic outflow to the skin exhibits a biphasic response to long-lasting stimulation of muscle nociceptors: an initial increase presumably related to the 'arousal' or 'alerting' component of pain, characterised by increased SSNA and decreased skin blood flow, followed by a prolonged decrease in SSNA and increased skin blood flow. The latter may be a purposeful response that contributes to wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel C Hall
- School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, Sydney, NSW 2751, Australia
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Kang K, Williams LM, Hermens D, Gordon E. Neurophysiological markers of contextual processing: the relationship between P3b and Gamma synchrony and their modulation by arousal, performance and individual differences. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005; 25:472-83. [PMID: 16154729 DOI: 10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2005.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2004] [Revised: 07/28/2005] [Accepted: 07/28/2005] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The ability to identify and respond to significant events in the environment is a vital aspect of human cognition and yet is poorly understood as a dynamic neural process. While the response to a contextually-relevant stimulus involves a number of complimentary processes, including selective attention and neural binding, it is also subject to modulation by factors like arousal, age and sex. Adopting an integrative approach, we investigated contextual processing (as indexed by P3b and Gamma phase synchrony) in 120 healthy subjects performing an auditory oddball task while controlling for these other modulating factors. Results suggest a relationship between P3b and Gamma-2 synchrony in posterior regions only, with phasic anterior processing seemingly unrelated to that in posterior regions. However, only the P3b was significantly correlated to central and autonomic arousal. Further, while age and sex were associated with variation in individual measures, they did not strongly affect the relationship between the measures. We concluded that, in simple contextual processing, global and local elements of target stimuli are processed in parallel with little variation being shown between the sexes or resulting from increasing age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristan Kang
- The Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia.
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Tsukahara R, Aoki H. Skin potential response in letter recognition task as an alternative communication channel for individuals with severe motor disability. Clin Neurophysiol 2002; 113:1723-33. [PMID: 12417225 DOI: 10.1016/s1388-2457(02)00257-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Skin potential responses (SPRs) to target and non-target stimuli in letter recognition tasks were studied to evaluate their potential as communication channels for individuals with severe motor disability. METHODS SPRs were recorded from the palm or sole of 5 subjects with cerebral palsy and 6 healthy subjects. Subjects discriminated target letters from non-target ones in a random sequence of single letters. In Task 1, subjects made a behavioral response upon presentation of the target. In Task 2, the target letters were presented as "go" or "nogo" signals. RESULTS For target letters, irrespective of behavioral requirements ("go" or "nogo"), skin potential waves frequently occurred with latency consistent with the sympathetic skin response (SSR) latency, and were regarded as SPRs evoked by target stimuli. In Task 1, the occurrence rate of the SPR was 47% for target, and 4% for non-target stimuli. In Task 2, the SPR occurred in 34% of "go" target, 29% of "nogo" target, and 2% of non-target stimuli. CONCLUSIONS SPRs with SSR latency are potentially useful in controlling signals of communication tools for individuals with severe motor disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiko Tsukahara
- Institute for Developmental Research, Aichi Human Service Center, 713-8 Kagiya-cho, Kasugai, Aichi 480-0392, Japan.
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Marinkovic K, Halgren E, Maltzman I. Arousal-related P3a to novel auditory stimuli is abolished by a moderately low alcohol dose. Alcohol Alcohol 2001; 36:529-39. [PMID: 11704618 PMCID: PMC3760424 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/36.6.529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Concurrent measures of event-related potentials (ERPs) and skin conductance responses were obtained in an auditory oddball task consisting of rare target, rare non-signal unique novel and frequent standard tones. Twelve right-handed male social drinkers participated in all four cells of the balanced placebo design in which effects of beverage and instructions as to the beverage content (expectancy) were independently manipulated. The beverage contained either juice only, or vodka mixed with juice in the ratio that successfully disguised the taste of alcohol and raised average peak blood-alcohol level to 0.045% (45 mg/dl). ERPs were sensitive to adverse effects of mild inebriation, whereas behavioural measures were not affected. Alcohol ingestion reliably increased N2 amplitude and reduced the late positive complex (LPC). A large, fronto-central P3a (280 ms latency) was recorded to novel sounds in the placebo condition, but only on the trials that also evoked electrodermal-orienting responses. Both novel and target stimuli evoked a posterior P3b (340 ms), which was independent of orienting. Alcohol selectively attenuated the P3a to novel sounds on trials with autonomic arousal. This evidence confirms the previously suggested distinction between the subcomponents of the LPC: P3a may be a central index of orienting to novel, task-irrelevant but potentially significant stimuli and is an important component of the arousal system. P3b does not have a clear relationship with arousal and may embody voluntary cognitive processing of rare task-related stimuli. Overall, these results indicate that alcohol affects multiple brain systems concerned with arousal, attentional processes and cognitive-autonomic integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Marinkovic
- MGH-NMR Center, Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Rm. 2301, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
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Blomhoff S, Jacobsen MB, Spetalen S, Dahm A, Malt UF. Perceptual hyperreactivity to auditory stimuli in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Scand J Gastroenterol 2000; 35:583-9. [PMID: 10912657 DOI: 10.1080/003655200750023534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have abnormal perception of visceral stimuli; however, no study has so far investigated the perception of non-visceral stimuli in IBS. In the present study we used event-related potentials (ERP) to study whether IBS patients differed from healthy controls in processing of auditory stimuli and, if so, how this was influenced by emotions. METHODS We compared ERPs to auditory stimuli in 40 female diarrhoea-predominant IBS patients without current psychiatric illness with those in 20 healthy controls. Tones were used as standard and target stimuli, and words with emotional content as distractors. Characteristics of the first negative wave (N100) and mean amplitudes in 50-msec time intervals between 150 and 600 msec were assessed. RESULTS At the frontal midline electrode IBS patients had significantly enhanced N100 amplitude to all stimuli, persisting after adjustment for age, current emotions, and personality traits. They additionally had enhanced waves 200-300 msec and 400-500 msec after stimulus. The latter differences disappeared after adjustment for emotions and personality traits. CONCLUSIONS In the frontal brain region, IBS patients seem to have a hyperreactivity to auditory stimuli compared with controls. Later elements (P300, N400) of stimulus processing were influenced by emotions and personality traits. These may possibly contribute to changes in intestinal motility caused by stress. The study indicates that aberrant brain functioning may be an element of the irritable bowel syndrome. It may elucidate a mechanism for brain-gut interaction by which psychosocial stress may influence visceral pain perception in non-psychiatric subjects with an intestinal motility disorder and also the efficacy of psychiatric treatment on IBS symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Blomhoff
- Dept. of Psychosomatic and Behavioral Medicine. National Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Mano T. Microneurographic research on sympathetic nerve responses to environmental stimuli in humans. THE JAPANESE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY 1998; 48:99-114. [PMID: 9639545 DOI: 10.2170/jjphysiol.48.99] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The sympathetic nervous system plays an important role to maintain the homeostasis of vital functions in humans against environmental stimuli. Sympathetic nerve responses to environmental stimuli in humans have been assessed conventionally using rather indirect methods by analyzing the responses of effector organs or by measuring the changes in plasma norepinephrine level. Meanwhile, the microneurography technique has enabled us to approach the sympathetic nervous system in humans more directly. By applying this technique, it has become possible to investigate how the human sympathetic nervous system responds to different kinds of environmental stimuli. In this paper, the usefulness of microneurography as a research tool in environmental physiology is shown together with a review of microneurographic findings on sympathetic nerve responses to environmental stimuli in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Mano
- Department of Autonomic Neuroscience, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan.
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