Exploring a novel approach to assessing surgical team collaboration: Evidence of brain activity synchronization

Interpersonal brain synchronization (IBS) has emerged as a significant concept in understanding collaborative team dynamics, with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) proving to be a vital tool in its assessment. This review aims to collate and analyze the literature on the application of fNIRS in various team settings, emphasizing its potential utility in surgical environments. A thorough search and screening process across multiple databases resulted in 17 studies being reviewed, with a focus on the utilization of fNIRS to measure IBS in different collaborative tasks. This review examined the tasks employed, participant demographics, organizational structures of teams, methodologies for IBS measurement, and correlations between brain synchronization and behavioral measurements. FNIRS emerged as a non-invasive, cost-effective, and portable tool, predominantly used to assess IBS in pair-based tasks with a variety of participant demographics. Wavelet transform coherence was the primary method used for measuring synchronization, particularly in the prefrontal brain region. A consistent correlation was found between increased brain synchronization and enhanced team performance, underscoring the potential of fNIRS in understanding and optimizing team dynamics. This review establishes fNIRS as a promising tool for investigating the neural mechanisms underlying team cooperation, providing invaluable insights for potential applications in surgical settings. While acknowledging the limitations in the current literature, the review highlights the need for further research with larger sample sizes and varied task complexities to solidify the understanding of IBS and its impact on team performance. The ultimate goal is to leverage fNIRS in assessing and improving surgical team dynamics, contributing to improved patient outcomes and safety.