To the Person in Charge | Dangerous Desk Work
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Regarding the assessment of trauma, there is one more thing.
I also thought that the tasks the AI identified as likely to cause stagnant cerebral blood flow were very similar in nature to the tasks I have been tracking, and that it might have just provided an answer that aligned with my input.
I was curious if there was any supporting evidence, so I asked for confirmation and received this response.
A. Yes, there is scientific and medical evidence.
1. Tasks requiring high concentration
Tasks that require concentration and attention activate the prefrontal cortex and attention networks. While local blood flow increases, if mental or physical tension is high, overall oxygen supply can be suppressed.
・Reference: Pashler, H. (1998). The Psychology of Attention.
・Changes in prefrontal cortex blood flow have been confirmed via fNIRS and fMRI.
2. Tasks with high psychological pressure
Mental stress → Sympathetic nervous system dominance → Vasoconstriction → Decreased cerebral blood flow
・Empirical evidence: Cardiovascular research has confirmed that blood flow to the hands and face decreases under tension.
・Decreased prefrontal blood flow under stress has been measured using fNIRS (e.g., during exams or evaluation scenarios).
3. Repetitive or monotonous tasks
In monotonous tasks, the brain's arousal system (reticular activating system) decreases → blood flow changes become smaller → attention drops and drowsiness easily occurs.
・Reference: Warm et al., 2008, Human Factors, "Brain fatigue and decreased blood flow in monotonous tasks"
4. Complex or uncertain tasks
The prefrontal cortex, which is related to working memory and decision-making, increases energy consumption as the amount of information and uncertainty increases → local blood flow also increases, but fatigue easily sets in.
・Reference: Miller & Cohen, 2001, An integrative theory of prefrontal cortex function
・fMRI studies show that complex tasks increase prefrontal blood flow and oxygen consumption, but feelings of fatigue are reported simultaneously.
5. Long hours + lack of breaks
If you continue working for long hours without taking breaks, the brain's blood flow regulation and neuro-metabolism do not function properly, leading to decreased concentration and a feeling of heaviness in the head.
・Reference: Lorist et al., 2000, Psychophysiology, "Brain function decline due to long-duration tasks"
Conclusion
・The list is generally correct from the perspectives of neuroscience, psychology, and physiology.
・The expression "stagnant cerebral blood flow" comprehensively refers to phenomena such as decreased local blood flow, reduced oxygen supply, and decreased activity in brain networks.
…It was a blessing in disguise, as it led me to learn what kind of tasks are dangerous.
(I have not yet verified the contents of the supporting materials.)
Just hearing the headings gives me a vague sense that those are tasks I don't want to do, but it seems there is proper evidence behind them.
Well, generally speaking, even if it is desk work, it is not good to push yourself too hard. Some of these things are intuitively understandable, while others, like tasks with no end in sight, seem to have implications related to what is recently called psychological safety.
If you encounter these situations in your own work, please be careful.
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