To investigate neural correlates of repetitive assembly tasks in ecologically-valid empirical settings, this study measured bilateral prefrontal (PFC) and motor activations when participants performed a carburetor assembly task using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Participants worked for one hour at a typical (low-) pace and at an accelerated high-pace. Before and after the task, a test was conducted to assess motion stability and fine motor control. The behavioral data revealed decreased motion stability after the assembly work in both conditions, with a significantly higher reduction after the high-pace task. The fNIRS data also revealed reduced activations in bilateral prefrontal and motor regions in both conditions over time. However, the low-pace task led to significantly greater activity decreases compared with the high-pace. Activity decrease in prefrontal and motor regions within the low pace also significantly related to minimal motion stability impairment, suggesting that the brain activation decreases in this and, potentially, findings of higher alpha in past repetitive-task studies using EEG, may be a result of not fatigue but worker adaptation or increasing efficiency.

中文翻译：

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评估大脑“在线”：使用fNIRS对重复装配线工作对血液动力学响应和精细运动控制的影响进行的生态有效评估。

为了研究在生态有效的经验环境中重复装配任务的神经相关性，本研究测量了参与者使用功能性近红外光谱仪（fNIRS）执行化油器装配任务时的双边前额叶（PFC）和运动激活。参与者以典型的（低速）步伐和加速的高速度工作了一个小时。在任务之前和之后，进行了测试以评估运动稳定性和精细电机控制。行为数据表明，在两种情况下的组装工作后，运动稳定性都会下降，而在进行高速度任务后，运动稳定性会大大降低。fNIRS数据还显示，随着时间的推移，在两种情况下，双侧前额叶和运动区的激活减少。但是，与高步伐相比，低步伐任务导致活动减少明显更多。