The Fighter Pilot brain Adapts to Extreme G’s and Massive Amounts of Data And their results are shedding light on which areas of the fighter pilot’s brain are most affected by extreme g-forces and massive data input and analysis, and how those effects can be enhanced or mitigated. Now, a team of researchers from the University of Antwerp is taking advantage of the similarities in brain neuroplasticity between fighter pilots by mapping some of those changes associated with the extreme yet similar aspects of their unique jobs. However, there is a much larger population of current and former fighter pilots, offering researchers the opportunity to study their brains in hopes of better-preparing astronauts of the future. Unfortunately, studying astronauts and the neuroplasticity changes to their brains is limited by the tiny set of people who have actually flown to space. Previous research has shown that astronauts undergo some of these same brain changes due to the extreme g-forces experienced during launch, the virtually zero-g environments of space, and the same combination of high data input and time-critical decisions placed on space travelers. That data is often conflicting and coming at an extremely rapid pace, requiring fighter pilots to make critical decisions at high speeds and under extreme physical duress.
Similar Neuroplasticity Among Astronauts and Fighter Pilotsĭubbed neuroplasticity, physical and chemical changes to the brains of fighter pilots seem to be caused by the extreme g-forces and massive amounts of sensory input data they experience. The sheer number of current and former fighter pilots versus the small number of those who have actually been to outer space can provide a deep pool of test subjects for scientists trying to prepare future astronauts for the brain changes they are sure to experience on long journeys to distant planets. Physical changes in the brain of fighter pilots caused by the extreme forces and unique tactical situations they encounter may mirror those experienced by astronauts, including increased and decreased connectivity in certain brain regions.
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