The present study investigated the effects of the supine position and task demands on blink activities. 24 participants (M age = 21.7 yr., SD = 0.5) performed the Japanese version of the Reading Span Test to investigate the effects of task difficulty. Eyeblink activities were detected by electrooculogram, via a wireless system, and were analyzed using newly developed software. Results showed that the supine position did not affect blink rate itself, but some wave characteristics of blinks, such as blink amplitude and closing and re-opening duration, were influenced; specifically, amplitude was reduced and durations increased. Further analyses suggested that task demands affected eyeblink rates but did not affect waveform attributes. Eyeblink rates increased during task performance and decreased during rest periods but it was not confirmed that this task demand effect was larger in the supine position than in the sitting position.

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