CHANGES IN BRAIN WAVES UPON THE RECOGNITION OF EVACUATION SIGNS IN A DISASTROUS SITUATION IN A SUBWAY STATION

Young-Sam Kim, Gil-Hyun Lee and Kyung-Yae Hyun*

ABSTRACT

Smoke caused by a fire in a subway station makes it difficult to breathe and it is also difficult to find an exit in a state of fear in darkness and fires. This study aimed to examine changes in brain waves in four cerebral areas including the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes when people can effectively evacuate with the help of an identifiable evacuation sign in this disastrous situation. The frequency of waves observed in the left and right frontal lobes showed that the frequency of delta (δ), theta (θ), alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (γ) waves without an evacuation sign was about 3.4%, 3.8%, 10.6%, 28.1% and 54.1% respectively. The frequency of delta (δ), theta (θ), alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (γ) waves with an evacuation sign was about 3.5%, 4.1%, 12.3%, 38.6% and 41.5% respectively, indicating that the frequency of beta waves (β) increased by about 10%, and that the frequency of gamma waves (γ) decreased by about 13%. The frequency of waves observed in the left and right parietal lobes showed that the frequency of delta (δ), theta (θ), alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (γ) waves without an evacuation sign was about 4.8%, 5.8%, 11.5%, 32.1% and 45.8% respectively. The frequency of delta (δ), theta (θ), alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (γ) waves with an evacuation sign was about 4.9%, 5.2%, 12.1%, 34.5% and 43.3% respectively, indicating that the frequency of beta waves (β) increased by about 2%, and that the frequency of gamma waves (γ) decreased by about 2%. The frequency of waves observed in the left and right temporal lobes showed that the frequency of delta (δ), theta (θ), alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (γ) waves without an evacuation sign was about 5.8%, 8.6%, 8.6%, 32.1% and 44.9% respectively. The frequency of delta (δ), theta (θ), alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (γ) waves with an evacuation sign was about 4.6%, 7.9%, 10.9%, 40.5% and 36.4% respectively, indicating that the frequency of beta waves (β) increased by about 8%, and that the frequency of gamma waves (γ) decreased by about 8%. The frequency of waves observed in the left and right occipital lobes showed that the frequency of delta (δ), theta (θ), alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (γ) waves without an evacuation sign was about 2.1%, 4.2%, 14.9%, 34.1% and 44.7% respectively. The frequency of delta (δ), theta (θ), alpha (α), beta (β) and gamma (γ) waves with an evacuation sign was about 3.6%, 3.9%, 12.6%, 41.8% and 38.1%, indicating that the frequency of beta waves (β) increased by about 7%, and that the frequency of gamma waves (γ) decreased by about 6%. All the four cerebral areas showed a decrease in gamma waves (γ) and an increase in beta waves (β) when there was an evacuation sign, which can be attributed to the reasonal judgements of the subjects based on the evacuation sign.

Keywords: Subway station, evacuation sign, brain wave, beta wave.