Let’s pause for a second: Neurodynamic evidence for rapid and coordinated team pauses during simulated patient encounters

Abstract

In this study we explored neurodynamic candidates for coordinated periods of wakeful rest across team members while they performed healthcare simulations. Wakeful rest occurs sporadically when a person pauses task-related behavior at goal areas or choice points and is thought to be associated with memory replay. Analysis of the second-by-second EEG-derived neurodynamics of Emergency Medical Flight dyads identified periods of inter-brain coordination that surrounded periods of individual team member uncertainty but were negatively correlated with them (r = -.3 to - .81). The brain region expression and inter-brain network connectivity of the shared information had properties consistent with the default mode network (DMN), an important effector of wakeful rest in animals and humans. This shared information was present in the 70-110 Hz electroencephalogram (EEG) spectrum which may represent bursts of memory replay. Going forward, our hypothesis is that these periods of wakeful rest (pauses) associated with increased inter-brain coordination may represent self-imposed or opportunistic ‘time-outs’ for team members to ‘gather their thoughts’ and mentally replay recent events before mentally projecting their plans forward.