In-flight analysis of intracranial pressure in pilots undergoing variation in Gz

Abstract

Intracranial pressure (ICP) is an important clinical variable that remains inaccessible to doctors and aerospace professionals. Ten Pilots of the Brazilian Air Force Academy (AFA) were monitored with a Brain care Non-Invasive Intracranial Pressure Sensor during looping maneuvers. The intracranial pressure sensor used was the model BcSs-1000, developed by the Brain care team. The pilot performed the flight in the T-25 Aircraft used in the aviator training course at the Brazilian Air Force Academy (AFA).The ICP of the volunteers was monitored on the occipital bone using a sensor attached to the pilots’ helmets. The ICP measuring device was attached to a bag and fixed to the pilot. The monitoring was carried out during a 30minute flight. Pilots were instructed to perform one acrobatic looping with an average duration of 30seconds. The stunts were performed in the fifteen minutes of the flight. The maximum Gz load of these acrobatic maneuvers was measured as +3 Gz. It was observed in the results that during the execution of the looping acrobatics, there was an increase in the values of area, height and amplitude of the ICP peaks. The results showed that there was an increase of approximately 46.25% of the peak of ICP after the beginning of the looping. When compared to the ICP during the looping, the values found were 55% lower. By observing all the results, human exposure to Load Gz raises the values of the ICP and can have the consequence of an increase in arterial pressure.