Torvald Fossåen Ask

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2027). Neurosecurity, Augmented Cognition and Neuroergonomics in Network Defense. In Knox, Benjamin James; Sütterlin, Stefan & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (Ed.), Human Factors in IT Security: Cognitive Perspectives of Cybersecurity. Taylor & Francis Routledge. ISSN 9781041073666. doi: https:/www.routledge.com/Human-Factors-in-IT-Security-Cognitive-Perspectives-of-Cybersecurity/Knox-Sutterlin-Lugo/p/book/9781041073666. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In this chapter, we will first explore threats to Network Defense team performance that are specifically related to how the brain processes information through a concept called neurosecurity. We will spend some time exploring the principles of hacking the brain and dual-use technology to build an intuition for how neural processes can be hijacked and exploited. After we have explored the neuroscientific principles underlying these threats, we will in the subsequent sections of this chapter explore how the same principles can be utilized to improve Network Defense team performance through the fields of Augmented Cognition and Neuroergonomics.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Sütterlin, Stefan; Canham, Matthew; Hermansen, Daniel & Knox, Benjamin James (2025). The UnCODE System: A Neurocentric Systems Approach for Classifying the Goals and Methods of Cognitive Warfare. Journal of Information Warfare. ISSN 1445-3312. 24(4), p. 67–90. doi: https:/www.jinfowar.com/journal/volume-24-issue-4/uncode-system-neurocentric-systems-approach-classifying-goals-methods-cognitive-warfare. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Cognitive Warfare leverages advances in science and technology to influence how populations think and behave. There is currently no unified framework for conceptualizing its goals and methods. This paper introduces the Unplug, Corrupt, disOrganize, Diagnose, Enhance (UnCODE) system to classify Cognitive Warfare strategies. UnCODE is neurocentric, focusing on how adversarial actions affect neural information processing in individuals, algorithms, or societies. It defines five goal categories and divides methods into direct and indirect neural access. Being domain- and species-agnostic, UnCODE enables interdisciplinary understanding of attack strategies and serves as a unifying framework for analysing Cognitive Warfare across contexts.

• Torgersen, Leanne; Noble, Elizabeth Rebecca; Ask, Torvald Fossåen & Knox, Benjamin James (2025). Strengths and knowledge gaps identified from cybersecurity education and training programs, and the implications for operational technology personnel in critical infrastructures: A scoping review. IEEE Access. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3594045. Full text in Research Archive
• Noble, Elizabeth Rebecca; Ask, Torvald Fossåen & Knox, Benjamin James (2025). Tailored Extended Reality Environments for Education and Training in Cybersecurity: Engagement Beyond Awareness. IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference, EDUCON. ISSN 2165-9559. doi: 10.1109/EDUCON62633.2025.11016494. Full text in Research Archive
• Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Juozapavičius, Aušrius; Lapin, Kristina; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James & Sütterlin, Stefan (2025). Human-Centric Approach to Cyber Threat Identification: The Role of Cognition, Experience, and Education in Decision-Making. Journal of Cases on Information Technology (JCIT). ISSN 1548-7717. 27(1), p. 1–13. doi: 10.4018/JCIT.368220. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study explores the impact of human factors on cybersecurity, emphasizing how cognitive biases and the blend of knowledge, experience, and education affect cyber threat detection. It reveals that specialized education and experience enhance the ability to identify complex threats. The research, using a gamified questionnaire, assesses decision-making in simulated cyber attacks, highlighting the value of domain expertise in critical tasks like threat identification and response. It suggests further research into confidence and self-efficacy's roles in cybersecurity and underscores the need for focused training to improve detection skills and incident reporting, aiming to bolster cybersecurity defences.

• Torgersen, Leanne; Zehnder, Eloïse; Ask, Torvald Fossåen & Schulz, Stefan M. (2025). The emerging ethical dilemmas and cognitive security concerns with personalized training in cybersecurity. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). ISSN 0302-9743. 15815, p. 242–262. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-92840-6_14. Full text in Research Archive
• Zehnder, Eloïse; Torgersen, Leanne; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Morgenstern, Holger & Gaiser, Jeroen [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2024). Digital Twins and Extended Reality for Tailoring Better Adapted Cybersecurity Trainings in Critical Infrastructures. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). ISSN 0302-9743. p. 233–252. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-61569-6_15. Full text in Research Archive
• Lande, Natalie Marie; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Sætren, Sjur Skjørshammer; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio & Sütterlin, Stefan (2023). The Role of Emotion Regulation for General Self-Efficacy in Adolescents Assessed Through Both Neurophysiological and Self-Reported Measures. Psychology Research and Behavior Management. 16, p. 3373–3383. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S406702. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Self-efficacy, the belief in one’s ability and capacity to organize and execute actions required to achieve desired results, is associated with adolescent academic achievement and reduced risk for psychopathology. Adolescent emotion regulation represents an important component in the relationship between self-efficacy and developmental outcomes, but the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood. It is unclear how emotion regulation strategies, which change with experience, and emotion regulation capacity, which is largely determined by genetics, contribute to the development of self-efficacy. Aim: The present study aims to explore the relationship between emotion regulation and self-efficacy in adolescents. We hypothesize that neurophysiological emotion regulation capacity moderates the relationship between emotion regulation strategies and self-efficacy. Methods: The present study applied a cross-sectional design. A sample of high-school students (N = 45, nfemale = 31, age = 17– 18) provided answers on the General Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Vagal tone was used as an indicator for emotion regulation capacity. Results: In the initial correlational analysis, reappraisal, but not expressive suppression nor vagal tone was associated with self-efficacy. Vagal tone was not associated with any self-report measures of emotion regulation or self-efficacy. Contrary to our hypothesis, vagal tone did not moderate the relationship between emotion regulation and self-efficacy. Conclusion: This is the first study assessing the relationship between neurophysiological indicators of emotion regulation and self-efficacy. Our results do not indicate that vagal tone moderates the relationship between emotion regulation strategies and general self-efficacy. Future studies should also assess the possible influence of metacognition and interoception on relationships.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Hoffmann, Lukas & Sütterlin, Stefan (2023). Gamification as a neuroergonomic approach to improving interpersonal situational awareness in cyber defense. Frontiers in Education. 8. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2023.988043. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In cyber threat situations, the establishment of a shared situational awareness as a basis for cyber defense decision-making results from adequate communication of a Recognized Cyber Picture (RCP). RCPs consist of actively selected information and have the goal of accurately presenting the severity and potential consequences of the situation. RCPs must be communicated between individuals, but also between organizations, and often from technical to non-/less technical personnel. The communication of RCPs is subject to many challenges that may affect the transfer of critical information between individuals. There are currently no common best practices for training communication for shared situational awareness among cyber defense personnel. The Orient, Locate, Bridge (OLB) model is a pedagogic tool to improve communication between individuals during a cyber threat situation. According to the model, an individual must apply meta-cognitive awareness (O), perspective taking (L), and communication skills (B) to successfully communicate the RCP. Gamification (applying game elements to non-game contexts) has shown promise as an approach to learning. We propose a novel OLB-based Gamification design to improve dyadic communication for shared situational awareness among (technical and non-technical) individuals during a cyber threat situation. The design includes the Gamification elements of narrative, scoring, feedback, and judgment of self. The proposed concept contributes to the educational development of cyber operators from both military and civilian organizations responsible for defending and securing digital infrastructure. This is achieved by combining the elements of a novel communication model with Gamification in a context in urgent need for educational input.

• Sütterlin, Stefan; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Mägerle, Sophia; Glöckler, Sandra; Wolf, Leandra & Schray, Julian [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2023). Individual Deep Fake Recognition Skills are Affected by Viewer’s Political Orientation, Agreement with Content and Device Used. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). ISSN 0302-9743. 14019(9). doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-35017-7_18. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  AI-generated “deep fakes” is increasingly used by cybercriminals conducting targeted and tailored social engineering attacks, and for influencing public opinion. To raise awareness and efficiently train individuals in recogniz-ing deep fakes, understanding individual differences in the ability to recognize them is central. Previous research suggested a close relationship between politi-cal attitudes and top-down perceptual and cognitive processing styles. In this study, we investigate the impact of political attitudes and agreement with the political message content on individual deep fake recognition skills. 163 adults (72 females = 44.2%) judged a series of video clips with politicians’ statements across the political spectrum regarding their authenticity and their agreement with the message content. Half of the presented videos were fabricated via lip-sync technology. In addition to agreement with each statement made, global po-litical attitudes towards social and economic topics were assessed via the Social and Economic Conservatism Scale (SECS). There were robust negative associa-tions between participants’ general and social conservatism and their ability to recognize fabricated videos, especially when where there was agreement with the message content. Deep fakes watched on mobile phones and tablets were considerably less likely to be recognized compared to when watched on station-ary computers. This is the first study to investigate and establish the association between political attitudes and interindividual differences in deep fake recogni-tion. The study supports recently published research suggesting relationships between conservatism and perceived credibility of conspiracy theories and fake news in general. Implications for further research are discussed.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Kullman, Kaur; Sütterlin, Stefan; Knox, Benjamin James; Engel, Don & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (2023). A 3D mixed reality visualization of network topology and activity results in better dyadic cyber team communication and cyber situational awareness. Frontiers in Big Data. 6. doi: 10.3389/fdata.2023.1042783. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Cyber defense decision-making during cyber threat situations is based on human-to-human communication aiming to establish a shared cyber situational awareness. Previous studies suggested that communication inefficiencies were among the biggest problems facing security operation center teams. There is a need for tools that allow for more efficient communication of cyber threat information between individuals both in education and during cyber threat situations. Methods: In the present study, we compared how the visual representation of network topology and traffic in 3D mixed reality vs. 2D affected team performance in a sample of cyber cadets (N = 22) cooperating in dyads. Performance outcomes included network topology recognition, cyber situational awareness, confidence in judgements, experienced communication demands, observed verbal communication, and forced choice decision-making. The study utilized network data from the NATO CCDCOE 2022 Locked Shields cyber defense exercise. Results: We found that participants using the 3D mixed reality visualization had better cyber situational awareness than participants in the 2D group. The 3D mixed reality group was generally more confident in their judgments except when performing worse than the 2D group on the topology recognition task (which favored the 2D condition). Participants in the 3D mixed reality group experienced less communication demands, and performed more verbal communication aimed at establishing a shared mental model and less communications discussing task resolution. Better communication was associated with better cyber situational awareness. There were no differences in decision-making between the groups. This could be due to cohort effects such as formal training or the modest sample size. Conclusion: This is the first study comparing the effect of 3D mixed reality and 2D visualizations of network topology on dyadic cyber team communication and cyber situational awareness. Using 3D mixed reality visualizations resulted in better cyber situational awareness and team communication. The experiment should be repeated in a larger and more diverse sample to determine its potential effect on decision-making.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Helgetun, Ivar & Sütterlin, Stefan (2023). Neurophysiological and emotional influences on team communication and metacognitive cyber situational awareness during a cyber engineering exercise. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 16(1092056). doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1092056. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Cyber operations unfold at superhuman speeds where cyber defense decisions are based on human-to-human communication aiming to achieve a shared cyber situational awareness. The recently proposed Orient, Locate, Bridge (OLB) model suggests a three-phase metacognitive approach for successful communication of cyber situational awareness for good cyber defense decision-making. Successful OLB execution implies applying cognitive control to coordinate self-referential and externally directed cognitive processes. In the brain, this is dependent on the frontoparietal control network and its connectivity to the default mode network. Emotional reactions may increase default mode network activity and reduce attention allocation to analytical processes resulting in sub-optimal decision-making. Vagal tone is an indicator of activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal node of the frontoparietal control network and is associated with functional connectivity between the frontoparietal control network and the default mode network. Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess whether indicators of neural activity relevant to the processes outlined by the OLB model were related to outcomes hypothesized by the model. Methods: Cyber cadets (N = 36) enrolled in a 3-day cyber engineering exercise organized by the Norwegian Defense Cyber Academy participated in the study. Differences in prospective metacognitive judgments of cyber situational awareness, communication demands, and mood were compared between cyber cadets with high and low vagal tone. Vagal tone was measured at rest prior to the exercise. Affective states, communication demands, cyber situational awareness, and metacognitive accuracy were measured on each day of the exercise. Results: We found that cyber cadets with higher vagal tone had better metacognitive judgments of cyber situational awareness, imposed fewer communication demands on their teams, and had more neutral moods compared to cyber cadets with lower vagal tone. Conclusion: These findings provide neuroergonomic support for the OLB model and suggest that it may be useful in education and training. Future studies should assess the effect of OLB-ing as an intervention on communication and performance.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen & Sütterlin, Stefan (2022). Prefrontally modulated vagal neuroimmunomodulation is associated with telomere length. Frontiers in Neuroscience. ISSN 1662-4548. 16. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1063162. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Accumulated senescent cells are proposed to be one of the main drivers of age-related pathology such as dementia and cancer through disruption of tissue structure and function. We recently proposed the Neuro-Immuno-Senescence Integrative Model (NISIM), which relates prefrontally modulated vagal tone and subsequent balance between vagal and sympathetic input to the spleen to inflammatory responses leading to generation of reactive oxygen species and oxidative telomere damage. Aim: In this study, we assess inflammation as a mediator in the relationship between prefrontally modulated vagal tone and leukocyte telomere length (LTL). We also assess the relationship between a recently proposed index of vagal neuroimmunomodulation (vagal tone/inflammation ratio; NIM index) and telomere length. Methods: This study uses participant data from a large nationally representative longitudinal study since 1974 with a total of 45,000 Norwegian residents so far. A sub-sample of 131 participants from which ultrashort recordings (30 s) of vagal tone, c reactive protein, and LTL could be obtained were included in the study. Relationships were analyzed with Pearson’s correlations and hierarchical multiple linear regression using either vagal tone and CRP or the NIM index to predict telomere length. Results: Vagal tone was a significant positive predictor of telomere length but this was not mediated by c reactive protein, even after controlling for confounders. The NIM index was a significant positive predictor of telomere length, also when controlling for confounders. In a follow-up analysis simultaneously comparing telomere length between groups with high and low values of vagal tone, and between groups with high and low NIM index values, telomere length was only significantly different between NIM index groups. Conclusion: This is the first study suggesting that prefrontally modulated vagal neuroimmunomodulation is associated with telomere length thus supporting the NISIM. Results indicate that the NIM index is a more sensitive indicator of vagal neuroimmunomodulation than vagal tone and CRP in isolation.

• Canham, Matthew; Sütterlin, Stefan; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Glenister, Lauren & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (2022). Ambiguous Self-Induced Disinformation (ASID) Attacks: Weaponizing a Cognitive Deficiency. Journal of Information Warfare. ISSN 1445-3312. 21(3), p. 43–58. doi: 10.31219/osf.io/2kbf9. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Humans quickly and effortlessly impose context onto ambiguous stimuli, as demonstrated through psychological projective testing and ambiguous figures. This feature of human cognition may be weaponized as part of an information operation. Such Ambiguous Self-Induced Disinformation (ASID) attacks would employ the following elements: the introduction of a culturally consistent narrative, the presence of ambiguous stimuli, the motivation for hypervigilance, and a social network. ASID attacks represent a low-risk, low-investment tactic for adversaries with the potential for significant reward, making this an attractive option for information operations within the context of grey-zone conflicts.

• Sütterlin, Stefan; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Veng, Karl; Eck, Jonathan & Fritschi, Jonas [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). The Role of IT Background for Metacognitive Accuracy, Confidence and Overestimation of Deep Fake Recognition Skills. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). ISSN 0302-9743. 13310, p. 103–119. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-05457-0_9. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The emergence of synthetic media such as deep fakes is considered to be a disruptive technology shaping the fight against cybercrime as well as enabling political disinformation. Deep faked material exploits humans’ interpersonal trust and is usually applied where technical solutions of deep fake authentication are not in place, unknown, or unaffordable. Improving the individual’s ability to recognise deep fakes where they are not perfectly produced requires training and the incorporation of deep fake-based attacks into social engineering resilience training. Individualised or tailored approaches as part of cybersecurity awareness campaigns are superior to a one-size-fits-all approach, and need to identify persons in particular need for improvement. Research conducted in phishing simulations reported that persons with educational and/or professional background in information technology frequently underperform in social engineering simulations. In this study, we propose a method and metric to detect overconfident individuals in regards to deep fake recognition. The proposed overconfidence score flags individuals overestimating their performance and thus posing a previously unconsidered cybersecurity risk. In this study, and in line with comparable research from phishing simulations, individuals with IT background were particularly prone to overconfidence. We argue that this data-driven approach to identifying persons at risk enables educators to provide a more targeted education, evoke insight into own judgement deficiencies, and help to avoid the self-selection bias typical for voluntary participation.

• Firth, Andrea M.; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Sütterlin, Stefan & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (2022). The Effect of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Training on Vagal Tone in Athletically Talented Secondary School Students. Sports. 10(10). doi: 10.3390/sports10100146. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study examines whether twelve sessions of heart rate variability biofeedback training would improve vagally mediated heart rate variability. If so, it would go some way in explaining why breathing based interventions reduces clinical symptoms and improves non-clinical performance outcomes. Methods: Thirty participants (N = 30, Nfemale = 13) aged 14–13-year-old talented athletes from a sport specialist school in SE London UK, were randomly divided into three groups, a control group, a psychology skills training combined with heart rate variability biofeedback training group, and a heart rate variability biofeedback only group. For the combined group a variety of typical psychological skill training techniques were also used. Results: Paired participant t test and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test found non-significant differences between pre- and post-intervention measurements of SDNN, HF Log, pNN50 and RMSSD Log heart rate variability. Non-significant results remained even after pooling the biofeedback training groups (n = 19). Conclusion: Our results do not indicate that beneficial effects associated with focused breathing training can be attributed to improved vagal tone. Further investigation into the underlying mechanisms of the benefits of focused breathing techniques is necessary to maximize clinical and non-clinical outcomes.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Sütterlin, Stefan; Knox, Benjamin James & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (2021). Situational States Influence on Team Workload Demands in Cyber Defense Exercise. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). ISSN 0302-9743. 13096, p. 3–20. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-90328-2_1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Cyber operations are increasingly automated processes that can occur at computational speed with the intent of reducing, or denying time for good decision making or time to ground communication between human agents. There is a lack of performance measures and metrics in cyber operation settings. One potential setting describing human performance could be emotional stability under stress. Measures of higher individual affective variability indicate more emotional adaptability and allows for measuring individuals as dynamic systems. Previous research in other security-sensitive high-stake situations has shown that individuals with less emotional adaptability display maladaptive behaviors while individuals with more emotional adaptability can adapt more efficiently to changing situations, show more confidence in their own abilities and skills, and display better performance. We hypothesized that measurements of affective variability during a cyber defense exercise will be associated with team workload demands. Data was collected from 13 cadets during the Norwegian Defence Cyber Academy’s annual Cyber Defense Exercise. Three indicators of individual affective variability were measured daily with the Self-Assessment Manikin and compared to scores on the Team Workload Questionnaire. We found that affective variability was negatively associated with team workload demands. Participants with higher affective variability, as measured by the Self-Assessment Manikin, will impose less workload demands on the team, which can lead to better outcomes. This is the first study to assess how individual emotional adaptability affects team dynamics in a cyber defense setting. Future research should include variable measurements as they may have better explanatory power for performance measurements.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Knox, Benjamin James & Sütterlin, Stefan (2021). Human-Human Communication in Cyber Threat Situations: A Systematic Review. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). ISSN 0302-9743. 13096. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-90328-2_2. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In cyber threat situations, decision-making processes within organizations and between the affected organization and external entities are high-stake. They require human communication entailing technical complexity, time pressure, interdisciplinary factors, and often an insufficient information basis. Communication in cyber threat situations can thus be challenging and has a variety of implications for decision-making. The cyber-physical system is a rapidly changing socio-technical system that is understudied in terms of how cyber events are communicated and acted upon to secure and maintain cyber resilience. The present study is the first to review human-to-human communication in cyber threat situations. Our aims are to outline how human-human communication performance in cybersecurity settings have been studied, to uncover areas where there is potential for developing common standards for information exchange in collaborative settings, and to provide guidance for future research efforts. The review was carried out according to the PRISMA guidelines and articles were searched for on scientific databases. Articles focusing on human-human communication in cyber threat situations published in peer reviewed journals or as conference papers were included. A total of 17 studies were included in the final review. Most of the studies were correlational and exploratory in nature. Very few studies characterize communication in useful goal-related terms. There is a need for more collaboration between cyber defense exercise-organizers and cognitive scientists. Future studies should assess how team mental model-development affects team communication and performance in cyber defense exercises.

• Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Sütterlin, Stefan & Knox, Benjamin James (2021). The Influence of Team Workload Demands During a Cyber Defense Exercise on Team Performance. Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS). ISSN 1865-0929. 1499, p. 545–549. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-90179-0_70. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Research has shown that cyber defense is dependent on individual functioning as well as teamwork[1, 2]. Research has identified teamwork factors, such as communication and coordination, that increase performance [1, 3], while more supporting behaviours, i.e. emotional and team support, have shown to inhibit team performance [3, 4] but currently the understanding of impact workloads have on performance is still limited [4]. The study investigated the role of team workload demands on team performance (effectiveness, dissatisfaction). Methods Data was collected during the Norwegian Defense Cyber Academy’s annual Cyber Defense Exercise. The Team Workload Questionnaire[5] was used as the independent variable to assess workload demands. The Teamwork component (communication, coordination, team performance monitoring) and Task-Team component (time-share, team emotion, team support) were used as predictors. For performance outcomes, two self-reported items were created, Team Effectiveness and Team Dissatisfaction, on a 10-point Likert scale (none-very). The study conformed to the Norwegian Social Science Data Services’ ethical guidelines. Participants gave their informed consent verbally and were informed that they could withdraw from participation at any time. Statistical analysis was done with JASP version .14.1[6]. Alpha levels were set to .05.   Results Teamwork demands (communication (β=.608), coordination (β =.224), team performance monitoring (β =-.149) could predict Team Effectiveness (R2=.632, F=5.16, p=.024). Task-team workload demands (team support (β =.328), team emotion (β=.878), time-share demands (β =-.196)) could predict Team Dissatisfaction (R2=.853, F=17.36, p<.001). Discussion This study investigated the influence of team workload demands on team performance. Results support the hypotheses. Teamwork demands could predict team effectiveness while Task-team demands could predict more negative aspects of team performance and the results are in line with previous research [3, 4, 7]. Future research in cyber security operations should incorporate team workload demands to assess performance. This research is funded by the Norwegian Research Council (#302941).

• Ask, Thorvald Fossåen; Ranjitkar, Suman; Ulak, Manjeswori; Chandyo, Ram Krishna; Hysing, Mari & Strand, Tor A [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2019). The association between heart rate variability and neurocognitive and socio-emotional development in nepalese infants. Frontiers in Neuroscience. ISSN 1662-4548. 13(411), p. 1–10. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00411. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Many young children in developing countries do not reach their developmental potential. Traditional methods for assessing developmental outcome are time consuming, thus, physiological measures that can contribute to the prediction of developmental outcomes in high risk groups have been suggested. Vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is considered a neurophysiological or peripheral proxy for prefrontal and executive functioning and might serve as a supplement for traditional measurements of developmental status and as a potential useful risk indicator. Aim: In the present study, we wanted to describe the vmHRV in Nepalese infants and relate it to the Bayley Scales of infant and toddler development, 3. edition (Bayley-III) subscales. Methods: 600 Nepalese infants were included in the study. At 6–11 and 17–24 months, we measured neurodevelopmental and socio-emotional outcomes by the Bayley-III. Inter-beat intervals were recorded at two measurement points when the children were 17–24 months. Results: There was a high intraclass correlation between HRV indices generated from the two measurement points. No significant associations between vmHRV and Bayley-III sub scales were found at any time. Conclusion: This study is the first to describe vmHRV in healthy infants and the relationship between Bayley-III scores. Our results suggest that vmHRV is not associated with measures of general development in infancy.

• Ask, Thorvald Fossåen; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio & Sütterlin, Stefan (2018). The Neuro-Immuno-Senescence Integrative Model (NISIM) on the Negative Association Between Parasympathetic Activity and Cellular Senescence. Frontiers in Neuroscience. ISSN 1662-4548. 12, p. 1–24. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00726. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  There is evidence that accumulated senescent cells drive age-related pathologies, but the antecedents to the cellular stressors that induce senescence remain poorly understood. Previous research suggests that there is a relationship between shorter telomere length, an antecedent to cellular senescence, and psychological stress. Existing models do not sufficiently account for the specific pathways from which psychological stress regulation is converted into production of reactive oxygen species. We propose the neuro-immuno-senescence integrative model (NISIM) suggesting how vagally mediated heart rate variability might be related to cellular senescence. Prefrontally modulated, and vagally mediated cortical influences on the autonomic nervous system, expressed as heart rate variability, affects the immune system by adrenergic stimulation and cholinergic inhibition of cytokine production in macrophages and neutrophils. Previous findings indicate that low heart rate variability is associated with increased production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. IL-6 and TNF-α can activate the NFκB pathway, increasing production of reactive oxygen species that can cause DNA damage. Vagally mediated heart rate variability has been related to an individual’s ability to regulate stress, and is lower in people with shorter telomeres. Based on these previous findings, the NISIM suggest that the main pathway from psychological stress to individual differences in oxidative telomere damage originates in the neuroanatomical components that modulate heart rate variability, and culminates in the cytokine-induced activation of NFκB. Accumulated senescent cells in the brain is hypothesized to promote age-related neurodegenerative disease, and previous reports suggest an association between low heart rate variability and onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Accumulating senescent cells in peripheral tissues secreting senescence-associated secretory phenotype factors can alter tissue structure and function which can induce cancer and promote tumor growth and metastasis in old age, and previous research suggested that ability to regulate psychological stress has a negative association with cancer onset. We therefore conclude that the NISIM can account for a large proportion of the individual differences in the psychological stress-related antecedents to cellular senescence, and suggest that it can be useful in providing a dynamic framework for understanding the pathways by which psychological stress induce pathologies in old age.

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• Knox, Benjamin James; Sütterlin, Stefan; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Fausett, Crystal M.; Canham, Matthew & Tsohou, Aggeliki [Show all 25 contributors for this article] (2027). Human Factors in IT Security: Cognitive Perspectives of Cybersecurity. Taylor & Francis Routledge. ISBN 9781041073666. 456 p. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This title offers an exploration of the human mind as the main line of defence against modern cyber threats. Unlike traditional approaches that focus solely on technology, it centres on the vulnerabilities in human cognition that attackers exploit to manipulate attitudes, perceptions, and decisions. By addressing hybrid warfare, social engineering, and precision persuasion, the concept of “cognitive security” is introduced which connects individual vulnerabilities to global societal risks. From cybercrime to AI-driven disruptions, the analysis spans public, private, and military domains, including NATO-led initiatives. This book provides the knowledge to navigate the evolving challenges of today’s digital age, offering analyses of the links between human cognition and cybersecurity. Beginning with a concise historical overview, the chapters unpack how human factors evolved from being a weak link to a critical focal point in cybersecurity. Further chapters explore risks to individuals and societies, challenges for decision-makers, and strategies for safeguarding mental resilience. Written to equip the reader with the tools to address modern threats, it connects technological expertise with an in-depth understanding of human cognition. Readers will gain practical insights into protecting themselves and others against manipulation that will enhance their personal performance and support overall societal well-being. Human Factors in IT Security: Cognitive Perspectives of Cybersecurity is an essential read for decision-makers, leaders, and professionals in human factors, cybersecurity, information technology, and information security.

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• Osmo, Torgeir Strand & Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2026). Hjernen er under press - og ungdommene må forstå hvorfor. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Cyber på timeplanen v/Torgeir Strand Osmo, Vitensenteret Innlandet og postdoc Torvald Fossåen Ask, HIOF om at "Hjernen er under press - og ungdommene må forstå hvorfor" handler om mer enn teknologi – det handler om å skape mening i en digital virkelighet. Norge er på vei mot å bli et av verdens mest digitaliserte samfunn, men spørsmålet er om vi også utvikler menneskene som skal leve godt i det. I dette innlegget presenteres hvordan satsingen 'cyber på timeplanen' arbeider med metakognisjon: å forstå hvordan hjernen fungerer, hvordan den påvirkes, og hvordan den kan utnyttes i digitale omgivelser. Når elever lærer å reflektere over egne tankeprosesser, styrkes deres evne til å ta kloke valg – og dermed også samfunnets digitale motstandskraft"

• Noble, Elizabeth Rebecca; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James & Schuemie, Sebastiaan (2025). ATHENA: interdisciplinary approaches to cybersecurity. doi: https:/one-conference.nl/session/athena-interdisciplinary-approaches-to-cybersecurity/. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This interactive workshop discusses how we can address cybersecurity in operational technology (OT) in critical water infrastructures with a multidisciplinary focus on human factors, geopolitical threats, and tailored training. Defending critical infrastructures from cybersecurity threats is crucial for ensuring the continual availability of essential services. If attacked, it could have serious and potentially life-threatening consequences for society. Although technical defences are a key resource, humans are a first line of defence in detecting and reporting anomalies in critical infrastructure systems. Cyber threat actors know this, and initial attack vectors in most breaches often involve exploiting human vulnerabilities. In critical infrastructures, OT personnel work closest with these systems, and are targeted by threat actors. It is crucial OT personnel can recognise cyber-threats and have confidence that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to respond. ATHENA, an EU funded project led by Rijkswaterstaat, is creating innovative training solutions for OT personnel to develop their awareness, skills, and engagement with cybersecurity. Human factors are complex. Simply addressing cybersecurity behaviours through awareness-based training may not stimulate the level of engagement individuals need to change these behaviours. This is especially the case if the training is not designed to trigger meta-awareness, nor tailored to an individual’s needs or their organisational context. Generalised trainings that are ill-suited to end-users’ needs can result in poorer engagement, limiting the training’s effectiveness. Equally, discussing human factors on one organisational level can cause misalignment between the operational/technical, tactical, and strategic/policy levels, where clear communication is crucial in responding to cyber-threats. Only focusing on human factors as an isolated and compliance-dependent problem may miss opportunities to understand how geopolitical threat actors can exploit existing vulnerabilities, and gaps in individual skill levels, to attack critical infrastructures. In this workshop, we explore how combining interdisciplinary perspectives from academia, industry, and OT personnel is critical in developing comprehensive solutions to change cybersecurity behaviours. The workshop encourages interactive discussions and activities with insights from the ATHENA project which combines different perspectives on tailored training through extended reality environments. This not only addresses the skills gap in cybersecurity in OT, it contributes to protecting the cognitive dimension; a known target in nonlinear and unrestricted warfare. This workshop ultimately explores how this approach facilitates the defence of critical infrastructures, and the humans responsible for critical systems, within an evolving geopolitical threat landscape.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2025). Addressing the Human Factor in Cybersecurity Training & Exercises. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2025). Human-Centric Cybersecurity. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Sütterlin, Stefan; Canham, Matthew; Hermansen, Daniel & Knox, Benjamin James (2024). The UnCODE system: classifying the goals and methods of cognitive warfare. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Sütterlin, Stefan & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (2024). Mental motstandskraft. In Berrefjord, Vivi Ringnes & Lund, Mass Soldal (Ed.), Cybermakt. En tverrfaglig innføring. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215057071. p. 334–352. Full text in Research Archive
• Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Juozapavičius, Aušrius; Lapin, Kristina; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James & Sütterlin, Stefan (2023). The Role of Experience and Education in Resilience and Decision-Making in Cyber Threat Situations. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen & Knox, Benjamin James (2023). Cognitive Warfare and the Human Domain: Appreciating the perspective that the trajectories of neuroscience and human evolution place Cognitive Warfare at odds with ideas of a Human Domain, Mitigating and Responding to Cognitive Warfare. NATO Science and Technology Organization. ISSN 9789283724339. doi: 10.14339/STO-TR-HFM-ET-356. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The NATO STO HFM-ET-356 performed an assessment of the Science and Technologies (S&T) required to mitigate and defend against Cognitive Warfare (CogWar). CogWar has emerged replete with security challenges due to its invasive and invisible nature and where the goal is to exploit facets of cognition to disrupt, undermine, influence, or modify human decisions (proposed by HFM-ET-356). CogWar represents the convergence of a wide range of advanced technologies along with human factors, used by NATO’s adversaries in the 21st century battlespace. CogWar is a risk to global defence and security and threatens human decision making. The ET-356 proposed a S&T Road map to guide NATO and Allied Partners in future research activities and investments. The proposed Road map is based on a “House Model,” and linked to the Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act (OODA) decision cycle. The Model represents seven main S&T knowledge areas and enablers that are cross-cutting related: Pillars: Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive and Behavioral Science, Social and Cultural Science; and Bars: Situational Awareness and Sensemaking, Cognitive Effects, modus operandi, and Technology and Force Multipliers. This work underpins the NATO Warfighting Capstone Concept and its Warfare Development Initiative Cognitive Superiority, and the NATO Strategic Concept 2022.

• Sütterlin, Stefan; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Mägerle, Sophia; Glöckler, Sandra; Wolf, Leandra & Schray, Julian [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2023). Individual Deep Fake Recognition Skills are Affected by Viewer’s Political Orientation, Agreement with Content and Device Used. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Kullman, Kaur; Sütterlin, Stefan; Knox, Benjamin James; Engel, Don & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (2023). Neuroergonomics for Cybersecurity. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Sütterlin, Stefan; Canham, Matthew; Hermansen, Daniel & Knox, Benjamin James (2023). The Uncode System: A Neurocentric Systems Approach for Classifying the Goals and Methods of Cognitive Warfare. Full text in Research Archive
• Fredheim, Nina Skajaa & Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2023). Humøret kan påvirke evnen til å håndtere et cyberangrep. [Internet]. hiof.no. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Dårlig humør kan være smittsomt og er derfor upassende når vi skal samarbeide med andre. Det å være i for godt humør kan også være uheldig, dersom det påvirker hvor godt man evner å være analytisk i alvorlige situasjoner. Som for eksempel når man etterforsker et cyberangrep.

• Canham, Matthew; Sütterlin, Stefan; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Knox, Benjamin James; Ask, Torvald Fossåen & Sawyer, Ben (2022). Cognitive Security: Human Vulnerabilities, Exploits, and TTPs. Full text in Research Archive
• Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Sütterlin, Stefan & Kullman, Kaur (2022). Perception and human-machine interactions in cybersecurity. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Canham, Matthew; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Sütterlin, Stefan; Hermansen, Daniel & Knox, Benjamin James (2022). A System for Classifying the Neurocognitive Goals of Cognitive Warfare. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Skajaa, Fredheim Nina & Johansen-SSAF, Ann-Kristin (2022). Forskningsprek: Ligger svaret på hvordan cyberangrep kan forhindres i hjernene våre? [Internet]. Høgskolen i Østfold, Fredrikstad. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Deepfakes, phishing og andre former for cyberangrep øker og truer sikkerheten vår, både som samfunn og privatpersoner. Men foreløpig vet vi for lite om fenomenet til å klare å vinne kampen mot de som står bak.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Fredheim, Nina Skajaa & Johansen-SSAF, Ann-Kristin (2022). Hjernene våre kan ha svaret på hvordan vi kan hindre cyberangrep. [Internet]. Forskning.no. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  PODCAST: Cyberangrep øker. Det truer sikkerheten til både samfunnet og hver enkelt av oss. Foreløpig vet vi for lite om fenomenet til å klare å vinne kampen mot de som står bak.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Sütterlin, Stefan & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (2022). Situational Awareness at an Individual Level – Processing information. Full text in Research Archive
• Sütterlin, Stefan; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Knox, Benjamin James & Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2022). Cybersecurity – Our New Normal. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Canham, Matthew; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Sütterlin, Stefan; Hermansen, Daniel & Knox, Benjamin James (2022). Et System for å Klassifisere De Nevrokognitive Målene Til Kognitiv Krigføring. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Knox, Benjamin James & Sütterlin, Stefan (2022). Forskning under Bukkesprang: Cybersituasjonsbevissthet på Individ- og Team-nivå. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Sütterlin, Stefan; Knox, Benjamin James & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (2022). Neuroergonomic Approaches to Improving Cyber Situational Awareness During Cyber Threat Situations. Full text in Research Archive
• Canham, Matthew; Sütterlin, Stefan; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Knox, Benjamin James & Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2022). Cognitive Security: Exploring the Human Layer. Full text in Research Archive
• Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Knox, Benjamin James; Ask, Torvald Fossåen & Sütterlin, Stefan (2022). ACDICOM Research. Full text in Research Archive
• Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James & Sütterlin, Stefan (2022). ACDICOM Project. Full text in Research Archive
• Sütterlin, Stefan; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Veng, Karl; Eck, Jonathan & Fritschi, Jonas [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). The Role of IT Background for Metacognitive Accuracy, Confidence and Overestimation of Deep Fake Recognition Skills. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Helgetun, Ivar & Sütterlin, Stefan (2022). Neurophysiological and Emotional Influences on Team Communication and Metacognitive Cyber Situational Awareness During a Cyber Engineering Exercise. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio & Sütterlin, Stefan (2022). Cyber-situasjonsbevissthet. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio & Sütterlin, Stefan (2022). Cybersituasjonsforståelse: En nevrokognitiv tilnærming. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Sütterlin, Stefan; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Veng, Karl; Eck, Jonathan & Fritschi, Jonas [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). The Role of DLPFC Functioning for Deepfake Recognition Skills. Full text in Research Archive
• Knox, Benjamin James; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Sütterlin, Stefan & Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2021). The Human Factors. Full text in Research Archive
• Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Sütterlin, Stefan & Knox, Benjamin James (2021). The Influence of Team Workload Demands During a Cyber Defense Exercise on Team Performance. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Research has shown that cyber defense is dependent on individual functioning as well as teamwork[1, 2]. Research has identified teamwork factors, such as communication and coordination, that increase performance [1, 3], while more supporting behaviours, i.e. emotional and team support, have shown to inhibit team performance [3, 4] but currently the understanding of impact workloads have on performance is still limited [4]. The study investigated the role of team workload demands on team performance (effectiveness, dissatisfaction). Methods Data was collected during the Norwegian Defense Cyber Academy’s annual Cyber Defense Exercise. The Team Workload Questionnaire[5] was used as the independent variable to assess workload demands. The Teamwork component (communication, coordination, team performance monitoring) and Task-Team component (time-share, team emotion, team support) were used as predictors. For performance outcomes, two self-reported items were created, Team Effectiveness and Team Dissatisfaction, on a 10-point Likert scale (none-very). The study conformed to the Norwegian Social Science Data Services’ ethical guidelines. Participants gave their informed consent verbally and were informed that they could withdraw from participation at any time. Statistical analysis was done with JASP version .14.1[6]. Alpha levels were set to .05.   Results Teamwork demands (communication (β=.608), coordination (β =.224), team performance monitoring (β =-.149) could predict Team Effectiveness (R2=.632, F=5.16, p=.024). Task-team workload demands (team support (β =.328), team emotion (β=.878), time-share demands (β =-.196)) could predict Team Dissatisfaction (R2=.853, F=17.36, p<.001). Discussion This study investigated the influence of team workload demands on team performance. Results support the hypotheses. Teamwork demands could predict team effectiveness while Task-team demands could predict more negative aspects of team performance and the results are in line with previous research [3, 4, 7]. Future research in cyber security operations should incorporate team workload demands to assess performance. This research is funded by the Norwegian Research Council (#302941).

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Sütterlin, Stefan; Knox, Benjamin James & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (2021). Situational States Influence on Team Workload Demands in Cyber Defense Exercise. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Knox, Benjamin James & Sütterlin, Stefan (2021). Science-Based Approaches to Improving Cyber Threat Communication. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2021). Hjernen og Nerveceller. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Knox, Benjamin James & Sütterlin, Stefan (2021). Human-Human Communication in Cyber Threat Situations: A Systematic Review. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio & Sütterlin, Stefan (2021). ACDICOM: Advancing Cyber Defense by Improved Communication of Recognized Cyber Threat Situations . Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2021). Sansing og Persepsjon. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio; Knox, Benjamin James & Sütterlin, Stefan (2021). Human-Human Communication in Cyber Threat Situations. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2020). Det vi ikke vet, har vi vondt av. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2020). Sansing og Persepsjon. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2020). Hjernen og Nerveceller. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2019). Hjernen og Nerveceller. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2019). Master i Nevrovitenskap ved NTNU i Trondheim. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen (2019). Evolusjon, genetikk og atferd. Full text in Research Archive
• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Knox, Benjamin James; Sütterlin, Stefan & Lugo, Ricardo Gregorio (2024). Neuroergonomic Approaches to Understanding and Improving Communication of Recognized Cyber Threat Situations. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet. ISSN 9788232681471. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Cyber threat situations entail high-stake decision-making processes both within organizations and between the affected organization and external entities. During cyber threat situations, information is shared between individuals tasked with detecting and analyzing cyber threats (cyber operators) and the individuals tasked with making decisions based on receiving that information. This communication often entails technical complexity and is subject to challenges including time pressure, interdisciplinary factors, and frequently an insufficient information basis. These challenges may have a variety of implications for cyber defense decision-making and more research is needed. Previous research has suggested that there is not enough focus on the role cognition plays in the performance of cyber operators. With cyber threats increasingly challenging the security of digital infrastructures, understanding the cognitive processes underlying human communication becomes crucial. Approaching cognition from the perspective of neuroscience may uncover methodologies that are currently unexplored. This dissertation delves into the application of neuroergonomic approaches to enhance human-to-human communication during cyber threat situations, presenting a theoretical framework grounded in neuroscience findings. The dissertation includes three foundational studies on the dynamics of team communication and situational awareness in cyber defense settings. The findings highlight the significance of neurophysiological indicators of activity in structures that participate in coordinating cognitive processes and tools that facilitate multisensory integration of cyber threat information as potential influencers of team communication effectiveness and metacognitive situational awareness. A key innovation of this thesis is the exploration of mixed reality technologies in facilitating dyadic team communication and enhancing cyber situational awareness. By comparing 3D mixed reality with traditional 2D representations of network attacks, the study indicates that mixed reality technology can lead to improved communication and awareness among cyber defense teams, although the impact on decision-making requires further exploration. The dissertation concludes with a critical discussion on the broader implications of these findings for cybersecurity practices and makes suggestions for future research efforts to validate findings. By bridging the gap between neuroscience and cybersecurity, this dissertation lays the groundwork for developing more resilient defenses against cyber threats.

• Masakowski, Yvonne; Blatny, Janet Martha; Knox, Benjamin James; Lauder, Matthew A.; Sivertsen, Eskil Grendahl & Grigsby, Claude C. [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2023). Mitigating and Responding to Cognitive Warfare. NATO Science and Technology Organization. ISSN 9789283724339. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The NATO STO HFM-ET-356 performed an assessment of the Science and Technologies (S&T) required to mitigate and defend against Cognitive Warfare (CogWar). CogWar has emerged replete with security challenges due to its invasive and invisible nature and where the goal is to exploit facets of cognition to disrupt, undermine, influence, or modify human decisions (proposed by HFM-ET-356). CogWar represents the convergence of a wide range of advanced technologies along with human factors, used by NATO’s adversaries in the 21st century battlespace. CogWar is a risk to global defence and security and threatens human decision making. The ET-356 proposed a S&T Road map to guide NATO and Allied Partners in future research activities and investments. The proposed Road map is based on a “House Model,” and linked to the Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act (OODA) decision cycle. The Model represents seven main S&T knowledge areas and enablers that are cross-cutting related: Pillars: Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive and Behavioral Science, Social and Cultural Science; and Bars: Situational Awareness and Sensemaking, Cognitive Effects, modus operandi, and Technology and Force Multipliers. This work underpins the NATO Warfighting Capstone Concept and its Warfare Development Initiative Cognitive Superiority, and the NATO Strategic Concept 2022.

• Ask, Torvald Fossåen; Loon, Barbara van & Sandvig, Ioanna (2020). Towards modeling of neuronal networks in HUWE1-induced XLID. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background. Intellectual disability (ID) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment of intellectual functions and adaptive behavior. It affects approx. 2% of the Western population. X linked ID (XLID) is a subset of IDs caused by mutations in genes along the X chromosome. Increasing amount of evidence indicates that mutations in the X chromosome gene HUWE1 (HECT, UBA, and WWE domain-containing 1) lead to XLID. HUWE1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase which regulates numerous essential cellular processes including neural differentiation and proliferation, presynaptic GABAergic transmission, and p53-induced apoptosis. The Juberg-Marsidi syndrome (JMS) is the most severe form of HUWE1-induced XLID. Although HUWE1 mutations are clearly associated with XLID, knowledge is limited about the mechanisms that cause the disease and it is currently untreatable. Recent work conducted in our lab suggested that increased p53 signaling is a common process underlying HUWE1-induced XLID. To which extent increased p53 signaling impacts neuronal functioning in JMS remains unknown. The advent of new and efficient methods for generating specific subtypes of cortical neurons, through transcription factor reprogramming of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), allows for new ways of neuronal network modeling in health and disease. Aims.  In this thesis project, I aim to (i) generate from iPSCs healthy (WT) and JMS patient-specific GABAergic and glutamatergic neural populations, and use those to (ii) model WT and HUWE1-induced XLID neuronal networks. Methods. JMS and WT GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons were induced from hiPSCs using lentiviral vectors encoding Achaete-scute homolog 1 and Distal-Less Homeobox 2, and Neurogenin 2, respectively. Markers of p53 activity, HUWE1, and neuronal maturation, identity, and function were analyzed using immunofluorescence (IF) and RT quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) based methods, at day 29 and 74 of induction. Results. Both IF and RT-qPCR showed that neuronal markers were upregulated in both JMS and WT neurons compared to hiPSCs. There was a trend for HUWE1 levels to be lower and p21 levels to be higher in JMS neurons compared to WT. The significance of these findings remains to be further determined through increase in number of experimental replicas. The Covid-19 pandemics hindered repetitions of these long-term experiments, as well as compromised neuronal network recordings. Conclusions. The results of this thesis have established conditions for efficient generation of different neuronal sub-types. This is an important step towards further modeling of neuronal networks in HUWE1-induced XLID. Understanding features of neuronal networks will allow probing of clinically relevant genotype-phenotype relationships in HUWE1-induced XLID.

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