Impact of Startle Reflex on Cognitive Performance, Face Temperature and Brain Activity

Human performance is of paramount importance in aircraft piloting. The ability to perform the required flying tasks under stressful conditions is critical. However, unexpected or threatening events have the potential to trigger a startle reflex, a phenomenon that can lead to cognitive incapacitation and potentially catastrophic accidents. Few studies have examined brain activity following a startle reflex, especially during a complex cognitive task. We conducted an experiment in which we induced a startle reflex using loud acoustic stimuli while participants were engaged in the Toulouse n-back task (engaging memory processes and mental calculation). During the task, brain measures were obtained using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and facial temperature was recorded using a thermal camera. Our initial findings reveal that the startle reflex has been successfully induced, as demonstrated by the observable behavioral reactions captured in the camera recordings. After experiencing the startle reflex, participants showed a brief decrease in task performance, suggesting a momentary disruption of cognitive processes, highlighting the potential implications of the startle reflex for aviation safety. The integration of multimodal physiological techniques will allow us to comprehensively investigate both cerebral and peripheral physiological responses during the startle reflex. Our research will contribute to the understanding of how startle responses can affect cognitive performance and shed light on the potential cognitive incapacitation that may result from this phenomenon.