Dual-task ability of the airline pilots at age 60 and one year longitudinal study
10.3760/cma.j.issn.1007-6239.2012.01.002
- VernacularTitle:60岁民航航线飞行员双重任务能力及一年追踪研究
- Author:
Wei JIANG
1
;
Yu-jin ZHOU
;
Ting-zong FENG
;
Xiang-gang XU
;
Xue-qin HAO
;
Kai-yong XU
;
Sheng-qiu GE
;
Guo-cheng WU
Author Information
1. 中国民用航空局民用航空医学中心,北京,100123
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Age factors;
Cognition;
Professional competence;
Follow-up studies
- From:
Chinese Journal of Aerospace Medicine
2012;23(1):6-11
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To observe the variation of airline pilot's cognitive ability at age 60 by dual-task test and to analyze the results upon one year longitudinal study in order to investigate the dynamic changes on the cognitive function of civil airline pilots older than 60 years old. Methods Fifty-two airline pilots at age 60 were tested by computer generated tasks,including mental arithmetic of 4-figure consecutive addition and computer simulated flying attitude control task,as well as the dual-task which was composed by above two.The aging effect was explored by comparing the results with that of other age group airline pilots (31-39 age group,40-49 age group and 50-59 age group).Paired t test was used to compare twenty-six pilots' cognitive ability based on one year longitudinal study in order to obtain the dynamic changes. Results There was significant aging effect on every task indexes (F=2.98-13.47,P＜0.05).The cognitive ability of the pilots at age 60 had significant difference with that of tbe 31-39 years age group,(t=2.33-7.46,P＜0.01 or P＜0.05),but with that of other groups (P＞ 0.05). The one year longitudinal study results showed that there was no significant decline on cognitive ability as performing dual task. Conclusions The results of age comparison and longitudinal study indicate that 60 years old is not the break where the dual-task ability significantly decayed and imply the airline pilot's cognitive ability varied insignificantly at that age.Results of study would be suggestive to the retirement policy of airline pilots.
