New research has confirmed what many pilots may have always suspected – their brains are wired differently. Chinese researchers have determined that pilots’ brains are wired differently to deal with the unique environment in which they work and the challenges they face.

The hypothesis

Because flying places many cognitive demands on pilots, the researchers hypothesised that they would display a different pattern of brain connectivity compared to non-pilots. To test their theory they used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

According to AVWeb, the scientists examined 26 pilots and 24 non-flying individuals who had a similar level of education. Of the pilots, 14 were flight instructors from the Civil Aviation Flight University of China, and 12 were airline first officers.

“Pilots are always working in complex, dynamic environments. Flying is now not so much a ‘physical job,’ but a high-level cognitive activity,” the study observed. “The pilot should be completely aware of all conditions in real time, and be ready to deal with various potential emergencies.”

Enhanced data processing skills

The researchers determined that pilots’ brains have enhanced connections between the “central executive network” − the part of the brain that processes information, and the parts of the brain that provide the raw data. This is an advantage as it “might enable the network to have more diverse functions,” which helps put all the various inputs from instruments, the radio, the sight picture and others in the cockpit into coherence.

“Pilots are always working in complex, dynamic environments. Flying is now not so much a ‘physical job,’ but a high-level cognitive activity.”

It’s not all good news

While that’s all good, there is a trade-off. While the central executive network is processing all the incoming data, there seems to be a decreased level of “internal connectivity.” The researchers reveal that this is “associated with self-control and appraisal of threatening stimuli”.

Autopilot on

In another study, published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, the same researchers discovered that pilots also exhibited increased resting-state functional connectivity within the default mode network. This network has been referred to as the brain’s “autopilot” because of its link to mind-wandering and self-referential thought. It also appears to play an important role in switching between cognitive tasks.

So there you have it, scientific proof that pilots certainly do think differently!

Sources: AVWeb; Psypost.org