title: EEG functional network properties related to visually induced unrecognized spatial disorientation.
abstract: Unrecognized spatial disorientation (SD) which is intimately linked with brain cognitive function is always a fatal issue for the safety of pilots. To explore its effects on human brain cognitive functions, electroencephalography (EEG) functional network analysis methods were adopted to examine topological changes in the connection of cognitive regions when experiencing unrecognized SD. Twelve male pilots participated in the study. They were subjected to a SD scene, namely visual rotation, which evoked unrecognized SD. For the main EEG frequency intervals, the phase lag index (PLI) and normalized mutual information (NMI) were calculated to quantify the EEG data. Then weighted connectivity networks were constructed and their properties were characterized in terms of an average clustering coefficient and global efficiency. A T-test was performed to compare PLI, NMI and network measures under unrecognized SD and non-SD conditions. It indicated a weak functional connectivity level in the theta band under unrecognized SD based on the significant decrease of mean values of PLI and NMI (p<0.05). Meanwhile, both the average clustering coefficient and global efficiency in the theta band reduced under the unrecognized SD condition. The decrease of the average clustering coefficient and global efficiency demonstrates a lack of small-world characteristics and a decline in processing efficiency of brain cognitive regions. All the experimental results show that unrecognized SD may have a negative effect on brain functional networks in the theta band.
authors.affiliation: International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology and Medical Engineering of Ministry of Science and Technology of China, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, No. 37 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, P.R. ChinaP.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology and Medical Engineering of Ministry of Science and Technology of China, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, No. 37 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, P.R. ChinaP.R. China.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Aviation and Nautical Medical Center, Navy General Hospital, No. 6 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, P.R. ChinaP.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology and Medical Engineering of Ministry of Science and Technology of China, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, No. 37 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, P.R. ChinaP.R. China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Aviation and Nautical Medical Center, Navy General Hospital, No. 6 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, P.R. ChinaP.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology and Medical Engineering of Ministry of Science and Technology of China, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, No. 37 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, P.R. ChinaP.R. China.
authors.forename: Chenru
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Aviation and Nautical Medical Center, Navy General Hospital, No. 6 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, P.R. ChinaP.R. China.
authors.forename: Minggao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: International Joint Research Center of Aerospace Biotechnology and Medical Engineering of Ministry of Science and Technology of China, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, No. 37 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, P.R. ChinaP.R. China.|State Key Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems, Beihang University, No. 37 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001359:Aviation; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003221:Confusion / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003463:Cues; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods
keywords: EEG; Unrecognized spatial disorientation; cognitive function; network